The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Vuill I AROUND A BIG STATE BRIEF COMPILATION OF , NOIS NEWS. ILLI- failure- of a Springfield Building: and Liopn Company-Cherry Valley Is tively -- Two Attempts at Train Wrecking-War On at Kockford. Bad Crash at Springfield. The Illinois Protective Building and 3 Loan Association, with head offices at ' Springfield, is hopelessly insolvent. At the -^0¥eavber~ese-Biiaat4«>n- 4>.v~-4he-inspeetor-- •of the State Auditor's office it was found that while $39,000 had been paid into the association only about $3,000 in as­ sets remained, and that the liabilities ex­ ceeded assets over $4,">00. E. G. Smith •of Springfield was appointed etistodian by the shareholders when this state of af- - fairs became known. The association has US. beevi doing business principally with per­ sons of small means all ovprthe State. Meets Instant Death. ^ While sitting in a chair in his divorced wife*s apartments in Springfield. George Law son shot himself in the abdomen, death resulting instantly, lie went to Mrs. Lawson's home presumably with the ineention of first killing her and then him­ self. Some time ago LaWson accused his wife of infidelity and then shot her. He turned the weapon upon himself and in­ flicted a severe wound. They both recov­ ered after several, weeks in the hospital. Since then the woman has secured a di: vorce, and on this account he has often threatened to kill her. Tried to Wreck a Fast Mail. The Illinois Central fast mail train from New Orleans had a wonderful es­ cape from being wrecked by robbers at > 0:45 p. m.f near Alma. Six pieces of fish­ plate iron, four feet long, were placed on the track, one end resting on the rails and the other on the ties. The train ran over them in safety, and the escape is re­ garded by train men as miraculous. Illi- Jk nois Central officials believe it was a de- liberate attempt at wrecking for robbery. Attempted Train Wreck. The Lake Geneva express over the Chi- • cago and Northwestern Railroad narrow­ ly escaped serious accident. When about a mile north of Ringwood the engineer discovered tha* the engine was running over some obstruction. Hurriedly apply­ ing the brakes the train was stopped, and upOn investigation a thirty-two-foot rail was found tightly wedged below the pilot on the engine. That the train was not de­ railed was little short of miraculous. Free shines are now a thing of the pa«rt in Chicago downtown shoe stores. Tie grocery house of Frank D. Hatch at Kankakee was closed by the sheriff. A distinct earthquake shock was felt at Lebanon. People were aroused from, their sleep. ' " The grand jury at Pana has indicted Jesse MeAdams for the murder of Frank Radamacher. James 0'Bricn, a farmer near Freeport, was killed by a train while attempting to pass over tracks. Pana is overrun with burglars, and a dozen residences hate been entered with­ in the past two weeks; " W. A. Wliittemore of Charleston was fstnRraea3Tn"a marigOT~in Hls~barn, where Protest by Women. A war is on over the appointment of postmaster of Kockford, which will be made early iu January by the President. The women have taken a hand iu the fight, sending a petition to Congressman Hitt containing hundreds of names, pro­ testing against the selection of E. H. L Marsh and asking for the appointment of * Col. T. G. Lawler, who has held the office before. There are several other aspirants for the honor. [ > Wrecked Jail Building. 1 Cherry Valley had a lively time the oth­ er night. Two prominent citizens got into a fight over a fair blonde. One was lock­ ed up in the city jail, but shortly after­ ward friends released him by breaking down the door. Later in the night un­ known parties came with teams,., hitched them to the frame jail building and at- t tempted to haul it into the river. They '• did not succeed in this, but wrecked the building. | Smallest Baby on Record. Quincy boasts of having the smallest baby on record. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Slasher and weighs a. trifle less than a pound. The dresses of a small doll were used for her. Her face is not much larger than a silver half dollar. Brief State Happenings. G. von Brethorst of Guthrie has been I appointed fourth-class postmaster. The miners at Ashland have struck be- I cause of a reduction of 10 cents per ton 1 in their wages. A severe blizzard prevailed the other * night near Moweaqua and quite a num- U ber of cattle were frozen to death. f' George Petersen of Evanston hanged ' himself in his harness shop, and his body was found there by his jym Frank. The call has been issued for the general ' annual meeting of the Illinois Republican Editorial Association at Springfield .Ian. 1 11. It has been determined that Peoria will be a bidder for the armor plate fac­ tory which the Government proposes to establish. Joseph Brocksclunidt. aped SG years, who ran a watch and jewelry store,at Quincy continuously for forty-five yeaps, is dead. A baby boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Merrill at Charleston with two per­ fectly formed teeth. They are incisors in the lower jaw. Gov. Tanner offers a reward of $200 for the apprehension of the murderer of Miss Minnie Taylor, who was shot at Mattoon Nov. 18. Joseph Pratt, aged 79, for years the Government mail carrier between Peters­ burg and Virginia, dropped dead at his home at Newmansville. "PI. H. the Khedive" of Egypt has writ­ ten the Lincoln Park Board in Chicago, requesting water lily seeds, with instruc­ tions for growing water plants. K William Penn Nixon, editor of the Inter Ocean, has been appointed collector of the port of Chicago, to succeed Martin J. Russell, editor of the Chronicle. The following fourth-class postmasters have been appointed: Auburn, William W. Lowry; Dorsey, William D. Knethe; Lyons, John N. Meyer; New Douglas, Leon F. Alsop; Orchard Place, Peter Still- man; Park Ridge, W. S. Chittenden; Tun­ nel Hill, Green R. Casey. Dr. Levi S. Wilcox of Champaign has been appointed United States consul to llanko'w, China. Certificates have been issued by the Illi­ nois State Board of Health to practice medicine and surgery in Illinois to the following physicians: William T, Owsley, L. P. Crutcber, George Ainslie, Philip Grossheit and B. T. A. Heyn, Chicago; W. G. Mnness, Nortonville; W. A. Ashley, Worden; Job" F. Bauer, Germantown; E. E. Moore,. Hillsdale, Mich.; R. C. Turck. Alma, Mich.; Henry F. Steinle, Burlington, Iowa; E. W. Martin, More- ton, and J. I. Allen, Kirkwood. Nelson Maxson of Sterling has made answer to a suit brought by the United States in condemnation of the interests held by Mr. Maxson in the river bank along the Rock riVer in that city. Mr. Maxson claims to own eighty acres in the bed of the river as well as the land on the banks. On the door of Christ Episcopal Churchy in Woodlawn, Chicago, the other night- was this legend: "The Shepherd-peShong wedding will not take place." According to the facts the nctiee was properly word­ ed, for it was the prospective bride, Miss Florence Shepherd, who, almost at the altar, pointedly refused to become Mrs. Thomas Lee DeShong. he had gone to feed his horses; heart dis­ ease. Fire broke out in the wholesale grocery house, of Gerber & Fieks at South Chi­ cago and caused a damage of $10,000 to $12,000. The new Missionary Training School, 1926 Wabash avenue, Chicago, has been dedicated to the purposes for which it was founded. Daniel Schmidt, a laborer. 29 years old, wok carbolic* acid and died in' Chicago. His wife,and children were in want and this discouraged him. Field Museum, Chicago, annual report for the year closing Sept. 30 shows a total attendance of 220,283, of which 20,729 were paid admissions. , \ , A resolution authorizing pjfynitcht of a $1 bounty-on all wolves and foxes killed in the county was passed by the Board of Supervisors at Kankakee. « The 1-year-old child of Harvey Broekett was burned to death at Lincoln by its clothes catching fire from the cooking stove. Before the flames could be put out he was burned to a ersp. Ten thousand dollars was subscribed in Chicago on a recent night for the poor. The Salvation army will distribute the money. Most of the givers refused to couple their names with the bequests. Mrs. Emma Smith drank carbolic acid in her home in Chicago and died at her husband's feet. Sipith had found his wife drinking in a saloon the niglit before and had scolded her and refused to let her enter their home. At a meeting of the trustees of the State Historical Library at Springfield Mrs. Jessie Palmer Weber, daughter of ex-Senator John M. Palmer, was elected librarian to fill the vacancy, caused by the death of Miss Josephine P. Cleveland. At Charleston, the proposed wedding ol W. W. Crittenden and Flossie Tingley has been interrupted by the fact that Crit­ tenden already has one wife living. He admitted this fact, and offered to bring proceedings for divorce at once. It is said Miss Tingley will wait for him. » Suits on railroad aid bonds, against the county of Franklin, aggregating $110,000, were instituted in the United States Court, at Springfield, as follows: E. Skin­ ner of New York, $80,000 and $20,000; John Wayland of New York. $15,000; A. Potter of Massachusetts, $15,000. The sacred precincts of Knox College female seminary, known as Whiting Hall,* at Galesburg, were invaded by a burglar the other night and great excitement was the result. The burglar escaped quietly, but the young lady whose room was en­ tered received a nervous shock, for which she is under the care of physicians. The thirty-five mines of the Consoli­ dated and Madison Coal Company in the Belleville district have resumed opera­ tions and 3,000 miners who have been out of employment for many months returned to work. The mining company acceded to the demands of the men and agreed to pay the Springfield scale of 37 cents a ton. The will of George G. Seaton, who died a few days ago at Itockford, leaving a valuable estate, has been filed for probate. Mr. Se.iton divided his property nearly equally among his children and grandchil­ dren. In case any of the legatees become addicted to the use of cigarettes their share shall be given to some charitable institution. A burglar entered the residence of J. W. Freeman in Springfield while the fam­ ily was away. He was discovered by neighbors, who called the police, but be­ fore the officers arrived the fellow escap­ ed. A pair of bloodhounds were brought from Decatur, and they ran what WM supposed to be a direct trail to a house in the north part of town. There were two men in the house, and the officers were about to arrest them, but both proved that they were at church when the burglar was in the Freeman residence. The Jacksonville and St. Louis Rail­ road, which is that portion of the Jack­ sonville, Louisville and St. Louis Railroad extending from Centralia to Drivers, was sold by Special Master Edward MeCon- nell of St. Louis in Mount Vernon under a decree of foreclosure rendered by Judge Allen in the United States Court at Springfield in favor of the Mercantile Trust Company of New York. The sal-e included the roadbed, track, depot build­ ings, rolling stock and other property, the sale being made without redemption, and no bid under $75,000 accepted. Marshall P. Ay res of St. Louis, mortgagor, bid $127,000, and was awarded the property. The State Board of Arbitration render* ed a decision in the matter of the joint ap­ plication of the Deere & Mansur Com­ pany of Moline and certain of their em­ ployes. The Deere & Mansur Company is engaged in manufacturing agricultural implements. The employes in the paint­ ing deivartment demanded an increase of wages. The company refused to grant the advance, and without suspending op­ erations both sides joined in a petition for arbitration. In its decision the arbitra­ tion board says the only reasons set forth for the demand for increased wages was the alleged fact that higher wages were being paid for the same kind of work by competing companies. The board finds that the employes were misinformed as to the wages paid by other companies. The board finds, therefore, that the de­ manded increase of wages is without suffi­ cient justification. At Elgin, the Rev. M. Edward Fawcett was ordained a priest of the Episcopal' Church. Dr. Fawcett is a regularly or­ dained minister in. the Methodist Episco­ pal Church and for a number of years was a member.of the Rock River conference. Tw^ Chicago hold-up men, at least, have shown possession of a conscience that has troubled them. Louis La pell and Frank Moffat robbed John Hoist of $18. The theft troubled Lapell and he gave his share of the plunder back to Hoist. Then he persuaded Moffat to do the same. Hoist refuses to prosecute the men. Albert Ross was shot and killed while attempting to hold up Hugh McCullough, a well-known saloonkeeper of - Carmi. Ross was disguised and sprang,-out from a dark alley and attempted to hit Mc­ Cullough over the head with a club, when he was shot by his intended victim. At the annual meeting of the stockhold­ ers of the Fairbury Union Agricultural Board the following officers were elected: President, S. M. Barnes; vice-president, Joel Strawn; treasurer, L. B. Dominy'; secretary, O. H. Westervelt; directors] Benjamin Cumpston, E. W. Mahony, J. W. McDowell, John Zimmerman, Frank Eads, T. A. Beach, M. H. Bailey. The lair will be held Sept. 6 to 10, inclusive. WORK FOR CONGRESS. PRESENT SESSION WILL BE A BUSY ONE. Questions of Great Importancs to Be Discussed--Currency and Cuba Likely to Be the Most.--Forward--Bryan's Visit to Mexico.' Wise Policy Outlined. Washington correspondence: While the first fortnight of a session Of Congress- caigwt afftftys hp lnnlrad upon as an index to its lirospeetive action, the developments thus far have strengthened the feeling that the pres­ ent session of Congress may be as sat­ isfactory and prompt in its action on great national subjects as was the spe­ cial session held just after the inaug­ uration of President McKinley. Three subjects have especially attracted the attention of statesmen since their ar­ rival and discussions have already in­ dicated a gratifying drift of sentiment. Theses subjects are currency reform, revenue and expenditures and the Cu­ ban question. The Currency Question. While definite prediction as to what Congress will or ca'i accomplish upon the vexed question of currency- is not. easy to determine, the developments thus far are encouraging to those who hope for action. It will be remembered mal. He predicts that the December re­ ceipts, excluding those from the Pacific railroads, will equal the December expenditures, aiwl that long before the fiscal year is ended the receipts under the Dingley law will be sufficient to meet all running expenses and produce a surplus in the next fiscal year of at least ten million dollars. There is a general feeling at least that the new- law should be permitted to show what it can do under normal conditions, and that if at any time it should be found advisable to increase the revenues, which, however, is not probable, it would be accomplished without any •-g-enerftl-disturbattre-of-the~ifrespirt"hnv~ or readjustment of its rates. The Cuban Question. Members of Congress having had op­ portunity to talk over the Cuban situa­ tion calmly in the light of the state­ ments iu the President's message seem to be thoroughly satisfied with the de­ velopments this far under the new ad­ ministration. The sensational sugges­ tions of ex-Minister Taylor," that the people of the United States should rise and demand instant action irrespective of its prospective effect UJ>OH the coun­ try and its relations with other parts of, the world, dd not seem to have met with any tesppnse on the part of the people. Members of Congress report their constituents well satisfied appar­ ently with the developments thus far and quite willing to trust the adminis­ tration. which has handled the matter with such success both in obtaining the the treasury, and a gradual transfer of the gold responsibility to the national banks of the country, in conjunction with an increased circulation on their part. Prior to tli* presentation of the President's simple i>.nd apparently feas­ ible plan it was believed that nothing could be offered which would be ac­ cepted by the silver element in the Senate, unless a free coinage proposi­ tion were attached to it. The unan­ imity of popular sentiment in favor of the President's plan, however* seems likely tp lead this element of the Sen­ ate to assume an attitude towards the proposition similar to that with which Tfie.v accepted the protective features of the tariff bill, permitting it. to pass because of their recognition of its pop­ ularity with the people. That Chiuese Wall, How about the Chinese wall? In Au­ gust and September, 1800, under the Wilson-Gorman monstrosity, our ex­ ports to Belgium were worth $5,140,- 510: in the same months of 1807 they were worth $11,089,540. In those two months of 1SSHV pur exports to France were of the value of $0,939:031,'and,J.n 1897 they counted as $14,250,437. Our exports to all parts of the world stood at. $107,077,780 in August and Septem­ ber of 1896, and at $131,440,303 for the like period of 1807. ; The - Democrats told us that as soon as we bought, less from foreign conn- tries we should sell less to them; and they spoke of the new tariff as a Chi- A MERRY CHRISTMAS. that there were many misgivings about tiie future of the tariff bill in the Sen­ ate because of the fact that the Re­ publican party did not control that body and cannot during the present Congress. The element which did con­ trol it. however, saw that public sentiment was so strongly in favor of a protective tariff that a refusal to per­ mit the pa ssagp of a bill with whose -sen­ timents they (lid not fully agree would be resented by the people. Now there are indications that the same \yise pol­ icy will be pursued with reference to the currency question. President Me- Kiuley's proposition for a retention in the treasury of the United States notes which are redeemed in gold and legislation which will bring an increase of national bank circulation by an Increase of the sum which they may issue against their deposit of bonds is proving extremely acceptable. and being generally com­ mended. not only by a large majority of the members of Congress, but by the people throughout the country, as is shown by the reports received here by members of both houses of Con­ gress. The fact that this proposition seems to lay the foundation for an easy transformation of the currency system without tlie shock to the busi­ ness world which a sudden change would produce and without increasing the interest bearing indebtedness, causes it to be very warmly commend­ ed by people of both parties. This is so clearly apparent that there is reason to hope that the members of the Sen­ ate. who have it in their power to de­ feat any legislation offered and sup­ ported by the Republican party, will take the same ground upon this ques­ tion that they did upon that of the tariff and omit such factional or ex­ treme opposition as to prevent its final passage. It must not be supposed, however, that this will be done instantly. There are so many currency propositions, so many men who have plans of their own or plans which they have decided to support that the whole matter will nec­ essarily be very thoroughly discussed before action is taken. But the fact that the President's plan grows more popular every day as it is discussed, and that it appears to be a simple method of finally taking the Govern­ ment out of the banking business and permitting the responsibility for main­ taining a sufficient currency and the gold reserve to pass from its shoulders to those of the banks of the country, may lead a sufficient number of mem­ bers of the Senate who are not within Republican ranks to support it and place a measure of this kind upon the statute books. Government Revenues. Every day's developments at the cus­ tom houses of the country and at the treasury are being carefully watched by those who are interested as to the question of whether or not the Dingley law is going to produce sufficient rev­ enue to meet running expenses. Mr. Dingley still maintains the belief that it will, and treasury officials who are watching its operations closely also be­ lieve that its revenue in the next fiscal year will equal, and probably exceed, the expenditures. Mr. Dingley shows that the revenue collected on the antici­ patory importations during the four months prior to the enactment of this law were nearly $40,000,000, all of which would have been collected under the present law had the importations prior to its enactment been only nor­ release of all American citizens in Cu­ ban prisons and seeing its recommenda­ tions to Spain followed by propositions of an offer of autonomy. While the Cuban matter is not forgotten or over­ looked by members of Congress, there is a disposition to permit the adminis­ tration to carry out its plans. Brynn and Mexico. A curious fact which comes to the surface here just now is especially in­ teresting, in view of Mr. Bryan's "tri­ umphal" tour in Mexico. It is a com­ parison which somebody has made of the currency conditions in Mexico, com­ pared with those of the United States. It is observed by this statistical delver that the Mexicans who are heaping adulations upon the American apostle of tlie Mexican system of finance have a currency amounting to 30 cents per capita in gold, against $9.35 per capita in Mr. Bryan's own country; $7.70 per capita iu silver dollars, worth 45 cents each, against $8.78 of silver per capita in tlie United States in dollars worth 100 cents each; 32 cents per capita in silver basis paper money, against $5.90 per capita in gold standard pa per mon­ ey in the United States, making a total of $!S.41 per capita, with $8.02 of it in 45-cents-on-the-dollar money in Mexico, against $24.03 per capita in 100-cents- on-the-dollar money in the United States. This statistical fiend also discovers that the increase in money iu circula­ tion in the United States since Mr. Bry­ an's nomination amounts "to twice as much as the entire gold, silver and pa­ per currency of all Mexico. When it is remembered that Mr. Bryan in the speech which captured tlie Chicago convention and in all of his speeches of the campaign urged that the currency of the United States could not be in­ creased in proportion to the growth of the population without the adoption of the free coinage of silver at 10 to 1, the fact that the money in circulation has increased in a sum twice as great as all the money in all Mexico in a short sev­ enteen moil,tlis' time seems to cast a shadow of suspicion upon the accuracy of the financial views of the statesman who is now receiving the plaudits of the Mexican populace. The increase of money in circulation in the United States from the beginning of the month in which Mr. Bryan was nominated to the beginning of the present month was $211,359,338, while the torn! mon­ ey of Mexico--gold, silver and paper-- is $100,000,000: A. B. CARSON. Steady Advance in Prices. The close and continuous study which Bradstreet's Journal is giving to prices of farm and manufactured products shows a continued growth in the price of the products of the American farm­ er. Its statements have from month to month shown a steady advance iu prices of farm products during the year, and its statement which covers the developments of November shows an advance in wool, oats, potatoes, peas, beans, milk, corn, barreled beef, sheep, mutton, eggs, hops and other articles of this character, while there has been a decrease in prices of num­ bers of articles which the farmers must buy, such as print cloths, cotton sheetings, coffee, and other articles of this class. nese wall, designed to keep out trade. Well, in round numbers, we bought less by $15,000,000 from foreign countries in August and September of this year than in tlie corresponding period of 1890; but we sold more to foreign na­ tions by considerably over $24,000,000. These figures prompt the question. How about the Chinese wall?--Chicago Inter Ocean. Their Needless Excitement. Financiers who have worked them­ selves into a state of nervous excite­ ment over a suggestion that compli­ ance with President McKinley's rec­ ommendation that national banks be required to redeem their notes in gold would cause these banks to make a "run" on the treasury gold reserve, have probably not noticed that the stock of gold held by the banks is now practically equal to their outstanding circulating notes. The October state­ ment of the national banks of the coun­ try showed the outstanding national bank currency to be $198,920,070, while their gold coin, gold treasury certifi­ cates. and gold clearing house certifi­ cates amounted to $195,895,107. Prospect of a Surplus. Painful as the fact may lie to the croakers who are finding fault with the operations of the Dingley law, there is prospect that it will produce a sur­ plus during December. Its actual earn­ ings, omitting the sums received on account of the Pacific Railroad sale, were, during the first half of the month, just about equal to the expenditures, and it is probable that when the De­ cember figures are made tip they will bring a New Year's present of a sur­ plus for the month of December. An Industry Firmly Established, Tlie new tariff law, with its duty on mirror plate "glass, has given rise to what seems the firm establishment of that branch ot glass-making in this country. The demand is great and growing, and has been met practically solely by foreign makers. Now three plants are in various stages of comple­ tion witlifn a short distance of this city, designed to fill the American demand with the American product.--Common­ er and Glass Worker. Under the Mistletoe. May Accept the Plan. It now seems. quite possible, if not probable, that the United States Sen­ ate may accept President McKinley's currency plan in which he proposes the destruction of the "endless chain" sys­ tem by which gold is drawn out of HESING DIES SUDDENLY. Chicago's Former Postmaster Is Found Lifeless in His Apartments. Washington Hesing, ex-postmaster of Chicago, twice candidate for Mayor, and president of the Illinois Staats Zeitung Company, and for many yfears a repre­ sentative Chicago citizen, died Saturday evening while alone in his residence. The physicians who made the post mortem ex­ amination attributed death to heart fail­ ure, superinduced by malaria and la grippe. { * He Went fa the Staats Zeitung office in theJ ffibrhing, and as usual discharged his editorial dirties. He went home to -Itmeheotr witlr MTa. Hesing Sirdiromplain- ed of no special illness. Shedeft him in the early afternoon for. social duties and he walked about the apartments.| [ The servant spoke to him about 4 o'clock and WASHINGTON 1IESINC. (le seemed well. Half an hour later, on entering his rooms, the girl noticed him on tlie couch and believed he was asleep; On the return of his wife at 5:30 she found him dead, the body still warm. Washington Hesing was the son of An­ ton Caspar Hesing, conspicuous in Re­ publican political and newspaper circles of Chicago for many years prior to and after the great fire. He was born in Cin­ cinnati, May 14, 1S49, and came with his parents to Chicago in 1S54, remaining a resident of the city ever since, save when absent in travel or study at the univer­ sities. lie crowded into scarce half a century every experience that he could find in life, enjoyable or otherwise. The sp'ip-jt of mod­ ern rush appeared to be ever upon him and to keep him to the fore. His school­ ing leaped from the common school to Os- nabrueck, Hanover; his university life from the University of Chicago to Yale and from Yale to Berlin and Heidelberg. He read international law, literature of all nations, absorbed political economy and history. Printer's devil, editorial writer, manag­ ing editor, president of a publishing con­ cern, member of the Board of Education, president of the County Board of Educa­ tion, postmaster, candidate for Mayor-- all these things had been his. PERISH IN A~FIRE. Six Persons Burned in the Hotel Da­ kota at Grand Forks. At least six persons lost their lives in the burning of the Hotel Dakota at Grand Forks, N. I). The building was a six- story structure and was crowded with guests. It was bitterly cold and the oc­ cupants of the hotel, driven from the elo- vators by the dense smoke, were com­ pelled to seek safety by means of the fire escapes. Dressed only in their night clothes they suffered greatly from the cold, but it is believed that all were res­ cued except six. The fire started in the basement of Nash Bros.' wholesale building shortly after 4 o'clock and in loss than twenty minutes the llames spread into the big Grand Forks Mercantile building adjoin­ ing and to the top floor of the Hotel Da­ kota. An alarm was immediately sound­ ed. The guests and employes made a rush for the elevator, but those on the HOTEL DAKOTA, GKAXD FOTTKS. third, fourth and fifth floors were driven back by the smoke. The only refuge there seemed to be left were the fire es­ capes. As the register is burned, the number of dead is unknown. The flames spread so rapidly that noth­ ing of value was taken from any of the buildings. In the hotel everything was a total loss. The cost of tlie building was $108,000. exclusive of the furnishings, which were valued at $50,000. The insur­ ance was $00,000. The wholesale cigar stock of W. W. Fegan <fc Co., valued at $7,500, was a total loss. The other losses are: Grand Forks Mer­ cantile Company, stock and fixtures, $95,- 000, building $40,000, insurance $05,000; Nash wholesale commission stock $75,000, building $-10,000, insurance $00,000; L. II. Bergh, drug stock, $5,000; Jerry Daily, bar fixtures, $3,500; Fabei & Co., bowling alley and gymnasium, $3,500. N E A R L Y A M I L L I O N B I B L E S Work of American Bible Society in Foreign Lands. A statement issued by the American Bible Society concerning its work in for­ eign lands during the last year shows that it involved an expenditure of $102,202.32 and the circulation of 707,528 volumes of the holy scriptures. Of these more than half--405,000 volumes--were distributed in China, 50,000 in Japan, 57,000 in the Levant, 00,000 in South America, 33,- 000 in Central America and Mexico, 32,- 000 in Siam and Laos, 40,000 in Russia, 20,000 in France, 12,000 in Spain and Austria, 10,000 in India; besides smaller numbers in Africa, Arabia and Corea. In accomplishing this work the agents and correspondents of tlie society employ­ ed 382 men, each working on an average more than eight months. The distribu­ tion of the Bible is regarded as of prime importance in all foreign missionary op­ erations, and the co-operation of the Vmerienn Bible Society .with tie mission hoards receives from them the most cor­ dial recognition. Hence the society will issue an appeal to pastors and others, that in the special meetings which are to be held early in January in observance of the annual week of prayer due emphasis may be laid upon the importance of extending the circulation of the Bible among all nations during the closing years of the nineteenth century and especially in those parts of the world where the Bible is an unknown book. ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS Friday's session was devoid of partic­ ular interest. In the House Mr. Mc- Eniry introduced a corporation tax bill and Mr. Compton a "State-at-large reve­ nue bill. In the Senate no business wra done. An adjournment was taken until 5 o'clock Monday afternoon. By a vote of 31 to 3 the Senate on Tues­ day adopted a resolution that when the two houses adjourn .Friday they stand adjourned until the afternoon of Jan. 3,. the members and legislative employes to receive no pay for the recess. The bill ap­ propriating $00,(100 additional .to the diers' home at Quincy was advanced to third reading. The reapportionment bill prepared by the Republicans was intro­ duced by Mr. Aspinwall and sent to sec­ ond reading. Mr. Lundin introduced two bills, as follows: Providing that all gas and electric light companies in the State shall pay an annual tax of 3 per cent on gross receipts where they are in excess of $75,000 per annum; providing that the State Board of Equalization shall have power to assess all foreign corporations doing business in this State. The House advanced the routine appropriation bills to third reading; The senatorial appor­ tionment bill was introduced by Mr. Sel- by and advanced to second reading with­ out reference. The Crawford primary- election bill, introduced by Mr.' Sherman, took the Same course. Other bills were introduced as follows: By Mr. Selby, the 10 per cent valuation revenue bill pre­ pared by the Chicago Real Estate Board and introduced at the regular session; by Mr. Trousdale, to appropriate $10,000 for the employment of counsel to defend the constitutionality of the inheritance tax- before the United States Supreme Court. In the House on Wednesday the debate on the Senate holiday recess resolution and the reapportionment dispute occupied most of the time. By a party vote of 74> to 59,the Novak rule amendment requir­ ing a roll call on a motion to adjourn sine die was tabled. The bill appropriating $1,000 for defense of the inheritance tax, law in the United States Supreme Court was recalled to second reading, the amount raised to $7,000 and the bill again sent to third reading. The three routine Senate appropriation bills were passed.) The Rowe revenue bill was advanced tol second reading. The following bills were; introduced: By Mr. LaMoute, to "require pawnbrokers to pay taxes on all property! iu their possession; by Mr. Harnsberger* a primary election bill, the text of which has been heretofore published. In the Senate the House bill appropriating $60,- 000 additional for the soldiers and sail­ ors' home at Quincy was passed with the emergency clause. FOOD WASTED IN COOKING. Life-Sustaining Value of Meat and Vegetables Lost Through Ignorance. A series of investigations just com­ pleted by experts connected with the United States Department of Agricul­ ture go to show that there is an im­ mense amount of popular ignorance la the matter of cooking; that, while the greater part of tlie food of man is pre­ pared for use by cooking, yet the changes which various foods und' during the process and the which are brought about have beeii little studied. Few persons knowi* instance, that in 100 pounds of un ed cabbage there are but 7% pounds of dry matter, and of this dry matter from 2*4 to 3 pounds are lost in the cooking pot. Experiments with pota­ toes showed that in order to obtain the highest food value potatoes should not be peeled before cooking; that when potatoes are peeled before cooking the least loss is sustained by putting them' directly into hot water and boiling as rapidly as possible. Even then the loss is very considerable. If potatoes are peeled and soaked In cold water before boiling, the loss of nutrients is very great, being one-! fourth of all the albuminoid matter/ In a bushel of potatoes the loss would be equivalent to a pound of sirloin steak. Carrots contain less nitrogen, but relatively more albuminoid nitro­ gen than potatoes, and therefore fur­ nish more matter available for build­ ing muscular tissues. In order to pre-, serve the greatest amount of nutrients in the cooking of carrots, the pieces should be large rather than smaJl; the boiling should be rapid, so that the food value of the vegetable shall not be im­ paired; as little water as possible should be used, and if the matter extracted is made available as food along with the carrots, a loss of 20 to 30 per cent., or even more, of the total food value may be prevented. In the cooking of cab­ bage the kind of water used has more effect on the loss of nutrients than the temperature of the water at which the cooking is started. In any ease the loss is large. The losses which occur in the cooking of potatoes, carrots and cabbages vary with the different meth­ ods of boiling followed.--Pittsburg Dis­ patch. Tho Word " Toast." The word "toast," used for describ­ ing the proposal of a health in an after- dinner speech, dates back to medieval times, when the loving cup was still regarded as an indispensable feature of every banquet. The cup would bo filled to the brim with wine or mead, in the center of which would be float­ ing a piece of toasted bread. After putting his lips thereto the host would pass tlie cup to the guest of honor seated on his right hand, and the lat­ ter would iu turn pass It to his right- hand neighbor. In this manner the cup. would circulate around the table, each one preseur taking a sip while drinking toward his right-hand nei^t- bor. until finally the cup would come back to the host, who would drain what remained and swallow the piece of toast in honor of all the friends as­ sembled at his table. "He found her under the mistletoe and kissed her in the good old-fash­ ioned way." Notes of Current Events. The definite treaty of peace between Greece and Turkey has been signed at Constantinople. John P. Jackson, of the New York Herald staff, died in Paris after an illness of three weeks from Bright's disease. William Lakeland, trainer for Foxhall Keene, has bought from John E. Madden the great 2-year-old Hamburg. The pries •was $00,000. • , Women's Fire Brigade. At the jubilee festivities of King Os­ car of Sweden and Norway one of the features that appeared most to interest him was the exhibition of the female fire brigade of Koenissen. There are 150 of these young women, from 20 to 30 years old, directed by a male com­ mander--who is married. In vigilance, quickness and bravery the tirewomen are said to be the equal of any of their masculine competitors. .They came In full uniform to go through the evolu­ tions beneath King Oscar's windows, where they aroused great enthusiasm. No Speaking Trumpets Allowed. A parish beadle was lately much ex­ ercised at the appearance of a strange old gentleman, who, when the sermon was about to begin, took an ear-trum­ pet, In two parts, out of his pocket, and begun screwing them together. Th$ beadle, now thoroughly aroused, watched liim until the process was completed: "Ye iuaufia play that here! If ye dae, I'll just turn ye oot!"--Aber- toan Journal. 1