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HPL-, .... f "ijj. "%l»« % - -4' •«• •<*, , V > % r'- i'iliriiiitiii)ii,i ILLINOIS. THE WIRES. . - > |f Interest and Importance to Ĵ&%Lot * vHUUvi . j • Relating to Polities, Religion, Commerce, Industry, Labor, and Other Topios. 1-ATEST DISPATCHES. S - -- -- -- v » . , ' DEMONIACAL DEEDfc totldd Ganjr Perpetrates an Atrocious ~ "u Wyoming Comity, Pa.--A Woman Little Son Bound to Trees and _ led with Bullets--Her Husband and Children Burned Alive. :;'t'wVObmation comes by telegraph from rltalmi«h of another outbreak in the ^|IMftsld-McCoy troables, on the lute of lvania and West Virginia. i McCoy, a toother of the one . family was murdered a few days lives in Wyoming County, l'a. Hatfield gang made a raid upon his home I overpowered them and took Mrs. McCoy I Oer eon, a mere boy, out to the woods. The t was fastened to a tree bv a Dumber CSS the remainder staying at the . prevent the escape of the s-- After firing at their human target I* a time the leader grew tired of mere •port<U»d gave the order for her to be killed. 411 the rifles were raised at once, and the ' WW woman's body was riddled with bulletB. W#S boy who was taken out with her was also jHapatehed in a summary manner. By this ttgMlhe other party had surrounded the McCoy tgjWa, having in the meantime placed various Unas a< combustible material around it. It vrea eoncluded to fire the building, and Rive MtCoyvk chanoe for his life if he could run the gauntlet of their bullets. They expected be WOUld leave the house as soon as it began -- In this they were disappointed. As the Hames shot ur>, McCoy poked 1 out of an up-stairs window and lfor liis life, He was answered with a r of bullets and made no attempt to os- but perished iu the flames. The house I totally destroyed, and m the ruins was his charred body. It is said two small •hiidnn also were burned, but this is not con- This family of the McCoys had no with the feud, and the attack upon -- unwarranted. The people are de- I that something be done bjr r.feal Mm: ratal* was tha»i At a meeting of the House Committee OB Ways and Means on Thursday, a motion to take up Mr. McKinley's bill for the re­ peal of the tax on tobacoo wasdefeated by • utiiot party vote, 5 to 4. PERISHED BY SCORES s£*' The terrible storm which swept over the Northwest last week was the worst blizzard experienced since 1873. The victims of its furv are counted by the scores. From Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Kan­ sas, Nebraska, and Montana came pitiful stories of suffering and death from the icy blast which swept down from the regions of Boreas. The wind blew at the rate of fifty miles an hour, and the now, fine as powder, was hurled along by the gale. On the prairie an object forty feet distant could not be seen. A man's voice could not be heard six feet distant. The air was full of snow as fine as floor, and the soaring of the wind and the darkness caused by so much snow in the air made the scene the most dismal, drear and forsaken that men ever looked upon. Every railroad in Dakota and Minnesota and many in Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin were blocked. Telegraph wires everywhere were down, and it was not until Sunday night that he awful results of the storm became known. The following it the list of so far received, while fifty more persons are missing: LIFE IN IRELAND. * , Mltor O'Brien Free Again--Other Patriots Arrested--Victory for Wilfrid Blunt. Mb. William O'Bbien, editor of United Ireland, tas been released from Tnllamore JaiL He had been confined since October U. As he proceeded to the honse of a gsissl he was followed by a crowd and cfteeted repeatedly. Father MoFadden, cfQweedore, has been arrested for par­ ticipating in the opposition to evictions and enM in Iliad for trial, charged with hold- big antl-landlord and anti-police meetings. Hi wis received at the Donegal jail. Mr. Wane, member of Parliament for South Armagh, was arrested with Father McFad- 4eft a* Armagh, and committed on a charge Qjf inciting the tenants to resist the author- Wp>, Justioe Andrews, of the Exchequer Oosa«,hM granted a demand made in be­ half of Mr. Wilfrid Blunt for the produe- Von of certain documents concerning the Woodford affair, which will be used in an actfatt afHr. Blunt against Chief Secre- teljjrllaifotir. Mr. Byrne, counsel for the Crown, opposed the demand on the ground nts were privileged. the m- Celestials Find a Watery Grave, the capsizing of a small boat near •totoria, British Columbia, fourteen Chi- Mnaen, intending to smuggle themselves t®to Washington Territory, were drowned. Minor Telegrams. foAor is organizing an expedition for Morocco, according to reports, to consist 25,000 men. JAMES E. Nowuor was hanged at Cam- bridge, Mass., for the murder of George A* Codman, his employer, Jan. 4, 1887. A* a Ascent meeting in Chicago tha price of barbed was increased 25 cents per 100 imaitifis, and tha manufacturers at Joliet are " elated over the work of the conference. THOEBE-tARLJSLE. - > Metatim to Beopea the Owe De­ feated in the House. Tna laxMbe-Carlisle contested election oaae V in *be House of Representatives Jan. ttt. Hr. Crisp ot Georgia opened the debate by *h* proceedings before the Commit­ tee aaKlectfcma. He justified the majority of ** «"» caseshould •OS be reopened. Mr. Lyman (Iowa) knew of no the House should not reopen the --If-. P"1"' «!««*•• ha« been made by the enrtistant in efltaavite-ex-partB affidavits.it wja was--ana they had been answered bv t SX-Mtta affidavits. Strong eflorU had imaeeto prevent an investigation of these TUti -• r* t^* oontestee and his friends *Ot | truth. Mr. Cooper (O.i spoke in ** J?*. m»K>ri'y report It had been ."gy* tbat there was a con- WBiMf. immediately after the elec- mm between Mr. Carlisle and his friends •sS S&iWP0*6 01 tutiug up the matter ft*. Carlisle a charge that was proved *Pbe ynoiiy unfounded and based merely on •U®* enan whica was frequently found 5SfflS in ,the atuioHpucre after an Mr. Howell of Illinois took the same Lodge of Massachusetts spoke in i Of the minority. The pending case, t Was too important to be settled by a. On motion of Mr. Crisp, Thoebe, Bt--Uut, was granted an hour in "t-w ,.pro*f?t ?u argument in his Behalf. Mr. Lyman of Iowa of- 1 a resolution providing for a full investi- ©f the case, but it wud do- 9 • ,,TO*® ot 125 to 132, seven its voting in the affirmative. On --T-Onty ^ report, fetasing &q inv6Bti£&* h «^>ublieans refrained from vot- tne matter went over There i exciting scene in the' House. , •bate over tne Melbourne Kxposi- I B-iMmJ8®! KeUey intr.iiated that Mr. I »«(Illinois sought a foe for hia services ! Supreme Court | • Philadelphia Centennial. Mr ! 6 HP >nJ vehemently denieii the in- !Ce]1*7 then reiterated the ^iUmd great exoitemeiit. There was an and a good many i^etoar*||(fcV;* en before it' Politics. »ELPHIa. telegram: "Anti-Randall i have been chosen by the Demo­ te the conventions which tdelegates to the State Conven- delegates to the National pfii be ohosen. This is the Bam Handall has ever re- ,T--* is no concealment of the the administration is making » the great protectionist, and l is fully held that he will 'have three days have been very i Cor SamuelJ. Randall," says a k dispatch to the Chicago Daily (for delegates to the State conven- --"ay was a hand-to-hand struggle bitter fight for years, and the ~ failed to get on top. The ad- eieeted a majority of the , ill fought hard and succeeded (1|la own division, but that waa all, ~~t decidedly against him. This Jl in tha citadel ef his strength ~ unprecedented and entirely •UlBg of the battle. To make Mw Handall faction was wiped out at the meeting eammittee at Haniaburg. the fanner Chairman at the Committee, waa Kamdall's U faction worked hard to Elliott p. Kiener repre- kded by ioott In PakoU--Emil Gilbertopn, at Hitchcock; a Fious Kalis man, two sons of William Driver, at Raymond; two Mitchell youths, Emma Lamar. Carrie Auman, William C. Gathwaite, Cora Curtis, at Delaxcere: Mr. Davis and son, W. B. He&dlr, tl Barkaton; Rowland Chambers, T. E. GeUeraon, and James Newcomb's son, at Huron; Frank and William Nerison and Joseph Wilson, at-Vlvgeit; Mrs. Devine, Adam Gerner, and J. W. Jo«lee, at Iroquois; George Allen. Jr., and Joseph Anderson, at Mitchel; four farmera, two Bridge water men, Emil Gilman, Lewis Merriman and son, at Hitchcock; Miss Jaoobaon, Ginde, G. Grundstrcm, three un­ known men, two children of Joseph Hutchin­ son, three Tyndall people, two Wakonda girls, Jacob Krutz, an unknown teacher, J. Paine, at Bowdie ; Peter Parkune, at Koscoe; a White Lake man, four school children, James Smith and two sons, at Minofc, In Minnesota--John Loy at Luverae; Mrs. Enutson; Ole A. Exge at Albert Lea. In Iowa--Two children of Mrs. Fitzgerald in Inwood; two boys; an unknown man at Sioux City. in Nebraska--Child of John Delinger at David City; tied Eller, We swell Beck, and a young lady, at Omaha; Mrs. 1'. Smith at Lincoln; John Bp arks of Gage County; Emil Grossman of Peru; Mrs. Chapman and her two little grandchildren at Stuart; Mr. Mason near Stu­ art ; Matthews near Sutton ; a child named Bodine. Others are reported lost, and a num­ ber of escapes with frozen feet and Hands axe reported. In Montana--Patrick Hanley at Marysville; William Overman at Belgrade. In Kansas--James Kennedy, in Sherman County. The following special dispatch from Huron, IX T., tells a graphic story of thrilling in Southern IUkota: Th mas E Gilkerson and a man named Gose went a short distance from town. When tha Storm struck them they st&ited lor hou e. but the team wor.l.i net face it. The men then tied their horses to the wagon and each »tar<e( for shelter. Gose got to the Louse much irozen alter wandering around six hours. Gilkerson has not got home yet. A force of neighbors has searched for him all day, but iound no tra:o of him. Junius Kewalvey went to his slaughter­ house and killed some sheep. Then be tried to ride home, but his horse would not face the storm. The man left the horse and triod to walk in the half mile, but failed. Not realiz­ ing the severity of the storm he tramped around in the slaughter house and tried to keep warm but could not. Later ne made a lire with soma tallow but could not get warm. Then he lay down on the sheep pelts and got nearly to sleep. The cold aroused him and he kept on his feet till daylight. He then walked home with his feet and hands badly frozen. Signal-Service Sergeant Glenn started to go over an open block, which had a sidewalk, des­ tined for home, and instead of going a Dlozk west he brought up against a fence a block southeast. He then stumbled along as well as a man could and soon fell over a drift in his Own yard, not knowing where he was. There were man; cases of persons lost in crossing streets. Kvery railroad is at present packed full of hard snow, and there are drifts to the leeward of every spear of grass and fence-post. The passenger train that is in tha drifts four and a naif miles east of Uaiaton is dead and waiting tor spring-time. It had thir­ ty-four paasengers. Nine relief trains were sent to them from Balaton, but.couiu not get tbere. Then the people turned out with a long rope, and the man at the head of the rope stoou at the first telegraph pole. The second, with the rope, took his x>lace at the next pole, and so on till the la^t man had reached his pole. Then he notified the one behind him, by shouting, which was repeated till the first mau was noti­ fied, who then started on ahead. This round was followed till the train was reached. The passengers rejoiced to see them, and to eat the food they had brought. When it came to return there were a dozen of the travelers Who preferred staying in the cars. The others went back iu satoty to Balaton. The station hands carried a quantity of provisions to the snow-bound passengers, who said they were gay and happy. Another train from Ha warden was caught on the fly two miles north of Vilas. Its passengers were rescued in much the same manner as that of the Baiaton train. Two men mimed Pierson and a man named Wilson started homo from VirgiL The dead bodies of the Pieraons have been found, but Wilson's has not. Maty Connell taught at a school eight miles northeast of Huron. She and Same* Neweomb's sm and daughter started home together, but were soon lost. The boy, aged 13, insisted on Striking out for himself and leaving the girls. The two latter wandered around all night on the prairie, and were found next morning badlr frozen. The boy was found coo--dead. The death of Kobert Chambers is the most pathetic reported, He, with his two sons, oua a years old and the other 11, went together one mile distant to water some cattle. Mr. Cham­ bers was on foot and each of the boyh had a hcTse. The father, seeing indications of a storm, sent the older bov immediately home as he is troubled with rheumatism. Mr. Cham­ bers and Johnny undertook to drive the cattle borne. They were soon bewildered and lost Johnny, who lived through the storm, says th t when his father said that they were lost, the father male a place in the •now for him undwrnpp*d him up the best he could, ihey had no ovurcoat or extra clothing. Johnny says that he was bo covered up that he was warm His father went out and called and called, and a St. Bernard dog which wae with them barked, but no answer camo. Then the father and the do? got into the enow beside the J?*- , II lbe boy was warm he I new that nis father was getting very cold. He urced hie father to go on and find tree* and then he could make the house, but the father said • No, I cannot g# and leave you here " The boy urged, but the father would do no more than to call for aid within certain reach of the Doy s bed of snow. The dog alBo kept by the boy. 11)rough the long night thoy had conversations about perishing, but the father kept assuring the l>oy they would get through ah riuht if he would only be sure and lie still. The boy was quite comfortable and finally fell astoep. When he awoke it was nearly morn- Jis father waa still alive, and discovering •bat Johnny was awake the father said to hiin : "Now, Johnny, you pray and I will pray, and then I know God will take you through all right." They prayed and s >on after the father died. The boy wag entirely covered up, except a Jittle breathing place m the snow, and lie laid still Tha dog stood sentry and afforded the clew by whioh the bodies were found soon after daylight by a searching party. Johnay thinks his father had not been dead more than an hoar when they were found. The boy's hands and feet are only slightly frezen. A Brainerd (Mimu.) suecial says: -A Swede fTw1?* 4u,ro?1 Swedish settlement to the southeast ef Mill* Lacs Lake state* that • -SV?1* «>»«ned Henry Olatnm butch­ ered his whole family, consisting of his wife and seven children. The deed was done be. eamee the father found that all of them were going to perish in the extreme cold weather." At Chester, Minn., six children of Junes Baker were fraaen to death while retoramg WESX. A Fbxetobt (111.) special of Thurdays •eye: Illinois Central passenger train from the west, due here this morning, was several hours late in consequence of a bad wreck near Apple River, Jo Daviess County. A steel rod under one of the coaches broke, and the car went over a thirty-foot embankment. In it were eleven paasengers, and tbe coach turned com­ pletely over, landiDg on its forward end. ^*o. °ne was killed, though seven were seriously injured." Governor Thayer, of Nebraska, has issued a proclamation forbidding the In­ troduction of cattle from New York, New Jersey Pennsylvania, parts of Maryland, Massachusetts, the Southern States, in­ cluding Texas, and Cook County, to keep , out diseased stock. " | The terrible effects of the recent blis- card, says a Yankton (Dak.) dispatch, are hourly manifested by the discovery of frozen bodies on the prairie in the vioinily of Yankton. It Is plaetsg W'tniMf m fatalities at a very low figure to Say that at least loo human beings, Mk tittain the dreadful storm within % radiue<*ritf*y rniles. In this samo vicinity the loss of eanle, horses and sheep KSJSBW? JtSJTL number who suae* the loss limbe, baft it is safe to calculate that 800 unfortunates will suffer the loss of anns or legs. Bon Homme County repoited twenty-two deaths, Olay County Owen, Yankton County fifteen. This number is expected to be increased to double this Ann* A large number of unknown bodies have been recovered and await identifi­ cation. Thirty-five bodies have been roceived. Driverless teams nave been found to-day wan­ dering over the prairie, and it is likely that souie of those missing win not be found before (the snow melts. Thirty men are misung, ana a number of farmers have been in town tp-day who report fhidiug the dead bodies of unknown men in various parts of the oounty. The larger num- btrof casualties in Dakota seem to be due less to tn« greater severity ef the storm there than to the fact that it was Immediately preceded by fine and comparatively warm weather, wnich tempted an unusually large number of people to make journeys of considerable dis­ tance across the prairies. Some of them were caught on foot on tbe prairies, lost their way : in the blinding storm and perished. From Ne- j braska comes tho report o( the finding of frozen bedies along the roads, and the discovery of teams, in some instances the horses being dead while in others they were wandering about iu good condition. The casualties reported are horrifving. and it is altogether likely that less than half tbe truth has yet been told, so slight has been the communica­ tion from point to point across the prairies. Tbu loss on stock has been heaviest in the northern part of the State. Tbe loss of human life is repor.ed from all quarters. Be- ports from West Kansas show that the storm was very disastrous in that Bectionof the state. Thousands of head of cattle were frozen to death, and a number of persons have perished in tbe terrible blizzard. A revised list of the victims of the blizzard in Dakota show that 145 persons are known to have perished, while fifty or sixty are missing, all ot whom are pre­ sumably dead. A pabtt of masked men attempted to rob an express train on the Wabash Rail­ road, east of Kansas City, but were foiled by a party of officers who had received notice of the intended attempt A St. Louis special gives the following particu­ lars of the affair: The regular Kansas City-St. Paul express train, No. 4, lelt Kansas City at the regular hour, 8:20 p. m. When the train stopped at Missouri City, on the platform of the little sta­ tion was a band of men with shotguns. The conductor was inforaied that tbey were under command of an official of the county, who had received word that an attempt would be made to rob the 1st. Louis express at a lonely spot a little less than two miles east of Missouri City. One of the officers got in the cab of the engine with the engineer and fireman, and the others distributed themselves through the train. Cooley's Lake, a fishing resort--one of the loneliest points on the road in winter time-- was the place where the attack was to be made. As the point of attack was neared a red light was seen gleaming ahead. As the train slowed I up the engineer saw three masked men, armed ! with rifles, standing on the track. "Get oft there!" said the leader ot tha throe men to the engineer. Morsey climbed down out of the cab. Just as be reached the ground the officer in the cab pointed his shotgun out of the win­ dow and fired. The Bhot from the cab waa answered with shots from the guns of the three robbers, which rattled about the en- giue, but did no harm. The three men retired in a demoralized state. As they moved back a part of the posse came up from the woods, where they bad been in concealment for some time, and opened fire on them. These men bad been sent out from Missouri City in advance of the train and had concealed themselves, to be in readiness when­ ever they should be needed. About twenty shots.were exchanged, tbe men on tho train joining in the pursuit. The posse continued in pursuit of the band. The trail was easy to fol­ low in tbe moonlight, and tbe posse after an hour's hard run found tbey were close on the robbers. A few minutes later the re­ port of a Winchester was heard and a bullet whizzed by the head of one of the men in advance. There was a general scattering of forces, and several of the posse fired at suspicious sbadows iu front. John Sweeney, the leader of tha bandits, who up to this time had been sup. ported by hia companions, was abandoned, and crawlod into a snow-covered thicket. The re­ maining four robbers scattered through the timber, firing on the posse as they retreated. They were pressed closely, and three of them, counting King, were captured. The other made his escape. Sweeney, who is said to be danger­ ously wounded, has a long record of crime, and is considered one of the worst men in Missouri since the days of tbe Jesse James gang of out­ laws. He was a member of that gang of des­ peradoes, aud4s a cousin of Jesse James. A special from Ennis, Texas, says: "Seven persons were drowned in Sand Lake, about ten miles east of Ennis. Two young women, daughters of WiHiam Will­ iams. a farmer, and a young man named Babbitt, were skating on the lake, when the ice gave way ana they sank in four and a half leet of water. Miss Babbitt and two little girls, aged 8 and 14 years, also daughters of William Williams, who were on shore watching the sport, were drowned in attempting to rescue their friends. Young Williams, a brother of the young ladies drowned, was a quarter of a mile iistant at his house. He saw the trouble, and ran to the assistance of the unfortu­ nates, but he was soon overpowered by the struggles of those who were drowning, and he, too, was drowned. A MoMtgrbythe President Ac- comptnlM the Pacific Com- 'Report Hourly a Hundred and Eighty Millions Advanced to tfae Boadi by Undo fianvd. Dincton of th« Companies How Eaotu> ing Their Oonne in Absorbing Most of the Aaaetg. Coagrem Advised to Take the Case in aad Compel Settle- • aient. ,«-/.: $5,50 0 0.50 6.K & 6.00 .931$ .90 & .01 .62» .03 .40 & .46 <315.75 GENERAt* steamship Britannia, from the Mediterranean' for New York with 850 steerage passengers on board, left Gibral­ tar Dec. 22, and is long overdue. Fears for her ssfety are entertained. Alter eluding detectives for a year the man who, representing himself as a brother to Marcus R. Mayer, so successfully swin­ dled the residents of the City of Mexico out of nearly $30,000, by a spurious advance sale of tickets for a series of concerts by Mme. Pa.ti, has been arrested and is now locked up in New York. The Omaha, Yankton and Northwestern Railroad, to extend northwest from Omaha into Dakota Territory, has been incorpo­ rated at Lincoln, Neb.; capital, $3,000,000. Membeks of the Forty-first Kentucky Regiment, who claim to have never been mustered out of the United States service, have made nrrangements to prosecute a claim for an honorable discharge and back p«y. MARKET REPORTS. c™. K.KW YOBt Hons W HEAT--Ko. 1 White.*..'.*.'.'.'", No. ilUm Cons--No. 2.. . Oath--White I*OiUL--New Mess _ CHICAoa* (sATTU--Choice to Prime Btoera Good ~ ,.o Common to'Fair Ho«s--Shipping tirades ijiOUB--Winter Wheat Whkat--No. i Ked Winter*. Gobs--No. 2 Oats--No. 2. Bvtteb--Choice Creamery n i^in* IJair* Cueksk--l ull Cream, new Rous--Fresh .. 1'otatoks--Choice, per bill".* V"' l'ona--Mesa . WHKAT-Casu .^WAUi^" CtiBK-No. S Oats No. 2 White*.*!*!"****"" Ryu--No. 1 # I'ouk-- Mess ,,, . ST. LuO'li'*' Whkat--No. a Bed.... Coax--Mixed Oats--Cash Pomt--Mess _, '"TOLEDO.""* Whkat-Cash Conn--May Oats--May „ DETttorr**" Beep Cattle. Hoos. HHKEP Whkat--No. I White..."".;"'..'. Coux -No. 2 Oats--No. 2 White "** CINCINNATI.'" Wheat--No. 2 Bed Cubs-No. 2 Oats--No. 9 Pouk--Mess I....'. Live Hoos........ .' BUFFALO." Cattle Hoos " * * Whkat-t-No. l White Coax--No. 8 Yellow. n „ INDIANAPOLIS. Beef1 Cattu Hoos /" BUKEP Wheat--No. 8 Bed,".".*.'."."*."" Colt.V * Oats--Mixed n _ EAST LIBERTY. ' Carnal--Prime 4.50 5»ir ..." 8.75 Common 8.00 Hpos j.as Bni>.... 15.2 i 5.23 3. SO 8.25 8.75 .84 .48 & .22 .17 .12 .39 .82 13.75 .77 •4H .53 •fiS 14.00 @ 6.00 & 4.75 0 4.25 & 6.00 & 4.25 <$ .81 .48)4 0 .34 .30 .85 & .lilt* d .21 9 .91 •14.2J a .77H <B .40 «9 .34 9 .60 di4.se •83 (A .8S .47*4 .16)4 •81)40 .82 14.60 (£(15.00 .80^9 .87* M A .552 .35)6® .86 4.00 4.50 4.50 .87 .51 <9 4.79 <•« 5.25 & 5.60 & .88 .52 •86)$ _ .» , .85 .36 15.00 @15.50 6.00 9 5.7S 85.-4 si 8.00 {4 6.25 © .82 & .66)40 4.50 6.25 4.20 .85 .60 6.50 6.00 .08 .67* 5.00 5.75 5.00 .85)4 .60* .84 Th* following jg the President's message transmitting the Pacific Railroad reports to Congreto: T"tlj? rt®nate and Rouse of Representatives : On March 8 last an aet was passed authoriz- lng the appointment of three Commissioners who should investigate suoh railroads as have received aid from the United States Gov era- mcnt. Among other things, the contemplated investigation included a history of tbe con­ struction of these roads, their relations and in­ debtedness to the Government-, and the ques­ tion whether in the interest 0/ the United States any extension of the time for the per­ formance of the obligations of said roads to the Government should be granted ; and if so, the said Commissioners were directed to snbmit a scheme for sneh extension. The Commission­ ers were further directed by said act to report in foil to the President upon all the matters submitted to them, and he was, by said act, required to forward said report to Congress, with such recommendations or comments as he should see fit to make in the premises. The commissioners, immediately after their selection, entered upon tbe discharge of their duties, ana have prosecuted their inquiries with oommendable industry, intelligence, and thoroughness. A large amount of testimony has been taken, and all the facts have been developed which appear to be necessary for the consideration of the questions arising from the condition of these aided railroads and their relations to the Government, The conimis- sioner* have, however, been unable to agree upon the manner in which those railroads ? be treated respectipg their indebtedness to the United States, or to uuite upon the plan P°f*calculated to secure the payment of such indebtedness. This disagreement has re- •olted in the preparation of two reports, both of which are herewith submitted to the congress. These reports exhibit such transac­ tions and schemes connect?a with the construc­ tion of the aided roads and their management, end suggest the invention of such devices on the part of those having them in charge for the apparent purpose of defeating any chance for the Government's reimbursement, that any ad­ justment or plan of settlement should be pred­ icated upon the substantial interests of the Government rather than any forbearance or generosity deserved by the companies. The ™J publication which has already been given to the substance of the Commissioners' reports obviates the pecessity of detailing in this com­ munication the facts found upon the investiga­ tion. The majority report, while condemning the methods adopted by those who formerly had charge of the Union Pacific Railroad, declares that sinee its present management was inauga- rated in 1884 its affairs have been fairly and prudently conducted, and that tbe present ad­ ministration 'has devoted itself honestly and intelligently to the herculean task of rescuing the Union Paeifio Railway from tho insolvency wbich seriously threatened it at tue inception of its work; that it has devoted itself, by rigid economy, by intelligent mauagement, and by an application of every dollar of the earning capacity of the system so its improvement and betterment; to place that company on a sound and enduring financial foundation." The condition of the present management of the Union Paeifio Company has an important bearing upon its ability to comply with the terms of any settlement of its indebtedness which may be oftered by the Government. The majority of the commissioners are in favor of an extension of the time for the payment of the Government indebtedness of these companies upon certain conditions. Hut the chairman of the commission, presenting the minority report, recommends, both upon principle and policy, the institution of pro­ ceedings for tne forfeiture of the charters of the corporations, and the winding up of their affairs. I have been furnished with a state­ ment, or argument, in defense of the transac­ tions connected with the construction of the Union Pacific Road and its branch lines, from w hich it may not be amiss to quote, for. the purpose of showing how some of the operations of the Directors of such road, strongly con­ demned by the Commissioners, are defended by the Directors themselves. Aftar speaking of a contract for the (MMtruction of one of these branch line£ by iTeorporation called the Contract and Finance Company, owned by cer­ tain Directors of the Central Pacific Railroad this language is used : ' "It may i,e said of this contract, as of many others that were let to the different construc­ tion companit s in which the directors of the Central Pacific were stockholders, that they built the roads with the moneys furnished bv themselves, and had the road for their outlav Iu other words, they p«id to the construction company the bonds and stock of tbe railroad so constructed, and waiteduntil such time as they could develop sufficient business on the road built to induce the public to buy the bonds or the stock. If the country through which the road ran developed sufficient business then the project was a success; if it did not then the Operation was a lo»^. These gentlemen took all the responsibility ; anv loss occurring was necessarily thfrirs and of right the profit be­ longed to them. But it is said they violated a well-known rule of equity in dealing with themselves, that they were trustees, and that they were representing both sides of tbe con­ tract The answer is that they did not find anybody else to deal with. Thoy could not find anyone who would take the chanoe of building a road through what was then an almost uninhabited country, and accept the bonds and stocks of tbe road in payment. And when it is said that they are trustees, if they did occupy suoh relation it was merely technical; for they represented only their own interests on both sides, there being no one else concerned in the transaction. They became the incorporators of the company that was to build the road, subscribed for its stock, and were the only subscribers. Therefore, it is difficult to see how anyone wos wronged by their action. Tho rule of equity invoked, whioh has its origin in the injunction, 'No man can serve two masters,' certainly did not apply to them, because they were acting in their own in­ terests, and were not charged with the duty of caring for others' rights, there being no other persons interested in the subject matter." In view of this statement and the tacts devel­ oped in the commissioners' report. It seems proper to recall the grants and benefits derived from tho General Government by both the Union and Central Pacific companies for the purpose of aiding tbe construction of their roads. By an act passtKi in 1862, it Was provided that there should be advanced to said companies by the United States to aid in such construction the bonds of the Government amounting to 810,000 for every mile constructed, as often as a section of forty milts of said roads should be built; that there should also l.»e granted to said companies upon the completion of every said section of fortv miles of road ftve entire Boctions of pub ie lund for each mile so built: that the entire charges earned by said roods on account of transoorra- tion and service for the Government uhould be applied to the reimbursement of the bonds ad­ vanced by the United States and tho interest thereon; and that to ttecuro the repayment of bonds so advanced and Interest the issue and delivery of said bonds should consti­ tute a first shortsage on the whole lino of their roada, an.l on their roll ag-stock, fixtures, and property of every kind and description. The liberal donations, advances, and privileges pro­ vided for in tliiH law were granted by the Gen­ eral Government for the purjx.se of securing the construction of these roads, which would com­ plete ti e connection between our eastern and western coast, and they w ere bused upon a consideration of the public benefits Which would accrue to the entire country from such construction. But the projectors of these roads were not content, and the sentiment which then !feni.e<i » pervadi the Congress had not reached tne limit of its generosltv. Two years after the poHsace of this law it'was supple­ ment! <1 and amended in various important par­ ticular 4 , in favor of these companies by an t ifcb provided, among other things. ?e V. ,1, *. at the rato already specified should be delivered upon the completion of sections of twenty miles in length instead of forty; that tbe lands to be convoyed to said companies on the completion of each section of caid roads should be ten sections per mile instead of nve ; that only half of the charges for transportation and service due "j"10 Jo time from the United State* BBOula be reta ned and npplied to tho advances made to s<id companies by the Government-- thus oDli iiia immediate payment to its debtor of tbe'other baf of said charges--and that the lien of the L nitod btateg to secure the reim­ bursement of the amount advanced to said companion m bonds, which lien was declared to constitute a flr«t mort- gage upon all the property of said companies, should become a junior lien and be subordin- ated to a mortgage which the companies were l>y the amendatory act, authorized to execute to secure bonds which they might froin ttru© to time issue in sums not exceeding the 1 ^ United States bonds which Snfon be advanced to them. The immense ad­ vantages to the companies of this auieudatorv act are apparent, and in these days we mav imt!nrt^r£r^f1f'it °" V1® anticipated public importance of the construction of those roads induced what must now appear to be a rather a? unguarded appropriation of the public funds and the public domain. ^-15? those laws tbe princl- Ks ffivTn ^ 2viv0 advanced is to ,th# reports of the com- ̂î r£8'(&NoT«laber b m7- »• uiiiiuuorv f lur interest to NovtinbAr l im? i« if*. , . , ,T . •wtnw- i \ .... lip a...... * the _ eg* n„ni«winn -•••dSIIHnilllS selves to the utmost extent of the jwrtnieslon ffosnttiemto issue their bteds and le mort- two their property to secure the aaymeet of tbe same by an Incumbraaee having prefer­ ence of the government Sm and precisely equal to R in atnoopt. It will be seen that there was available for the imiMing of each mile of these roads tie.OOO ln bonds of the companies, secured by a first mortgage on all their property and ten sections of Govern­ ment land--to say nothing of the stoekofthe companies. When the relations created be­ tween the Government and these companies by the legislation referred to is considered, it is astonishing that the claim should be made that the directors of these roads owed no duty except to themselves in their construction; that they regarded no interest but their own, and that they were instilled in contracting with themselves and making suoh bargains as re­ sulted in conveying to their pockets all the as­ sets of the company. As a lienor the Govern­ ment was vitally interested in the amount of the mortgage to which its seourity be»n subordinated, and it had the right to insist that none of the bonds scoured by this pr.or mortgage should be issued fraudulently or for tbo purpose of division among these stockhold­ ers without consideration. The doctrine of com­ plete independence on the part of the directors of these companies and their freedom from eny obligation to oare for any other interest but their own in the construction of these made seemed to have devel ped the natural conse­ quences of its application, portrayed as follows in tbe majority report of the commissioners: "The result is that those who have controlled and directed the construction and development of these companies have become possessed of their surplus assets, the reissue of bonds, stocks, and payment of dividends voted by themselves, while the gremt creditor.the United States, finds itself substantially without ade­ quate security for repayment of its loans." The laws enacted in aid of these roads, while they illustrated a generous liberality and a generous surrender of the Government's ad­ vantages, which it is hoped experience has corrected, were nevertheless passed upon the theory that tbe roads should be constructed ac­ cording to the common rules of business fair­ ness and duty, and that their value and ability to pay their debts should not be impaired by unfair manipulation; and when the Govern­ ment subordinated its lien to another it wan in the expectation that the prior lien would represent in its amount only such bonds as might be necessarily issued by the companies for the construction of their roads at fair prices agreed upon in an honest way between real and substantial partiea. l or the purpose of saving or Improving the security afforded by its junior lien, the Goverement should have the right now to purge this paramount lien of all that is fraudulent, fictitious, or unconscionable. If the j transfer to innocent hands of bonds of this char­ acter secured by such first mortgage prevents their cancellation, it mis;ht be well to seek a i remedy against those who issued and trans- ' ferred them. If legislation is needed to secure such a remedy Congress can readily supply it. • I desire to call attention also to the fact that 1 if all that was to be done on the part of the Government to fully vest In these companies the grants and advantages contemplated by the acts passed in their interests have not yet been perfected, and if the failure of such com­ panies to perform in good faith their part of the contract justifies such a course, the power rests with the Congress to withhold further per­ formance on the part of the Government. If donated lands are not yet granted to those com- ' panies, and if their violations of contract are such as in justice forfeits their rights to such lands, Congressional action should intervene to prevent further consummation. Executive power must be exercised according to the existing laws, and executive discretion is probably not broad enough to reach suoh difficulties. , The California and Oregon Railroad is now a ?>art of the Central Pacific system, and is r aud-grant road. Its construction has been carried on with the samo features and inci­ dents wh eh characterized the other construc­ tion of this system, as is made apparent ok pages 78, 79 and 8J of the report of the majority of the Commissioners. I have in my hands for LAW-fMREftS. Wkst la Being Don* by Um> ITa- ttoml Legi»lstMe> - Tni Blair ednoational bill again eM&ei^ m the Senate on the 13th Inst., and Mr, Gray et Delaware made a constitutional argument against it Mr. Vance of Korth Carolina ad* dressed tbe Senate on Mr. Brown's reeolatioa to abolish Internal revenue taxation. Tbe lines, be said, bad been drawn closely by the Presi­ dent's message .on the sabieot of the surplus and taxation. The contest had to be fought out squarely sod the question had to be del elded unequivocally on its merits. Mocth Caro* line people, he said, objected more to the methods ef collection than to the amount of the tobacoo and spirits tax. Mr. Stewart ot Nevada offered an amendment to the bill pro* vlding for the investmeutof the surplus, which provides that any person may deposit at any mint or assay office gold or silver bullion and receive eertifloetee therefor, la the House of Representatives Mr. Crisp ot Georgia, Chairman of the Committee on Elec­ tions, reported on the case of A. E. Redstone, claiming to have been elected to Congress from the Fifth California District, that no evi­ dence had been filed and there was not sufficient ground for contest. Mr. Hatch of Missouri, from tbe Committee on Agriculture, reported a bill making appropriations to carry into effect the provisions of the act to establish experimental agricultural stations. The nomination of liuclus ijuintus Curtius X<amer to bs a Justioe of tbe Supreme Court was confirmed in the Senate of the United States on the ICtb inst. by the votes of Rlddie- beiger of Virginia, btewart of Mevada, and Stanford of California. The following (Sena­ tor* ttpoke at ditfeient times in opposition to the confirmation: ii-dmunds, Evaris, Allison Sherman, Hoar, Ingalls, >lawley, and W ilson Of iowa. 'lhis comprised all of the -Repub­ lican members of the Judiciary Committee ana the Presidential candidates on the Re­ publican side. The latter cuirently classed in the Senate are: Sherman, Allison, H&wley. The singular feature of the four hours' session was that tue Democratic Senators Bat silent m their seats. None of tuem urged the confirma­ tion of Lamar. The Mississippi Senators did not say a word. One or two ot the Democrats briehy answered a few questions, but none of them made a speech upon the cave. The ob­ jections of the Republican Senators wero of the same general character as the arguments Which have been published in the Republican newspapers. They'niay be summarized under two heads: 1'. Want of experience as a lawyer, i. cUs political record, with especial reference to the issues of the war. Tbere were no per- sonal objections to him, and it ia stated that noihlng was said that could have wounded the susceptibilities of Mr. Lamar had he been present. The following Senators voted for con- flimauon: Bute, Merry, beck, iirown, liutier. Blodgett, CocKrell, Coke, Call, Colquitt, Daniel, Jnuikner, George, Grady, Gorman, Harris. Hampton, Jones (Ark.), Morgan, McPherson! Pugh, Keapan, baulsbury, Turpie, Vance, Vest. Vourhees, Walthall, WUhou (Jdd.), ail Demo- erats, and Riddleberger, Stewart, arfd Stanford. Republicans. Total, 32. The following Sena­ tors voted for rejection: Aldrich, Alli­ son, Blair, Bowen, Cameron, Chase, Cul- lom, Dawes, Dolph, Davis, EdmundB, Evarts. Jrye, Parwell, Hawley, Hoar, Hale, Hiseock, Ingalls, Mitchell, Paddock, Piatt, Palmer, Plumb, Gray, bpooner, Sherman, Stock bridge. Total, '28. Tne following Senators wore paired against Lamar: Mauderson, Teller, Sawyer, Jones (Nev.),Sabin, Morrill,Wilson (Iowa),Chan­ dler, with tne following Democrats who would have voted for him : Blackburn, Gibson, Eustia, Hearst, Kenna, Payne, Pasco, Ransom. As boon as tlie vote in the Lamar cuse was taken tha. nominations of Messrs. Vilas and Dickinson Were confirmed without debate. Gen. Bragg was also confirmed as Minister to Mexico. Mr. Chandler introduced a bill in the Senate to con­ trol a ngvessional elections in South Carolina. Mr. Sherman introduced a bill creating a com­ mission to inquire into and report on the mater­ ial, indUBtrial and mental progress of the col­ ored race since 186-5, Mr. Evaits introduced a bill to indemnify the settlors on the Des Moines river lands above the Raccoon Forks, Iowa, for nmmiM Probability of a Great Pennant This Toar. •M 8V-.V. f - • • • : ;»•,. Fatten in the American Association--v , , Few Use for Old Wagon ^ * TmgM ,'•?:« ' •:$; [CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.] ^ ^ /, ^ approval th© report of the Commissi! nerfl ftp- payments made upon lands Bubseuuentlv taken pointed to examine two_fompleted sections of Jrom them, and a^o for the damages sustained this road. Upon such approval the company, or the Central Pacific Company, will be entitled to patents for a large quantity of public land I especially commend to the attention of Con­ gress this condition of affairs in order that it may determine whether or not it should inter­ vene to save these lands for settlers, if such a course is justifiable. It is quite time that the troublesome compli­ cations surrounding this subject, which has been transmitted to us as a logacy from former days, should be adjusted and Bettied. No one, I think, expects that these railroad companies will be able to pay their immense indebtedness to tbe Government at its maturity. Any proceeding^ arrangement that would result now. or at any other time, in putting these roads, or any portion of them, in the pos­ session and control of the Government is, in my opinion, to be rejected--certainly as long as there is the least chance for indemnification through any other means, I suppose we are hardly justified in indulging tbe irritation and indignation naturally arising from a contemplation of malfeasance to such an extent as to lead to the useless destruction of these roods or to -the loss of the advances made by the Government. I believe,, that our efforts should be iu a more practical direction, and should tend with no oondonatlotf oritrong- doing to the collection by the Government on behalf of the pecp.e of the public money now in jeopardy. While the plan presented by a majority of the commission appears to be well devised and giveg at least a partial premise of the results sought the fact will not escape attention that its sue? cess depends upon its acceptance by the conn panies and their ability to perform its condk tions after acceptance. It is exceedingly Im­ portant that any adjustment now made should )e final and effective. Those considerations suggest tbe possibility that tbe remedy proposed in the majority re­ port might well be applied to apart only of Uhese aided railroad companies. The settlement and determination of the questions involved are peculiarly within the jrovinco of the Congress. The subject has seen made quite a familiar one by Con­ gressional discussion. This is now supple­ mented in a valuable manner by the facts pre­ sented in the reports herewith submitted. The public interest urges prompt and efficient action. Groveh ClkvkIiAJHO, Executive Mansion, Jan. 17,1833. SPEAKER CARLISLE. -y Stricken with Illness at the Capital--Attor­ ney Sypher*s Threat to Publish Papers Afiectiug tho Speaker's Private Char­ acter. [Washington specialv] Speaker Carlisle has been a very ill man for several days, but his physicians say that he will get along now unless he suffers a relapse from cold or excitement. Drs. Garu» tt and Sowers are in charge of him, and are among the best physicians in the city. The Speaker has been under a tre­ mendous Btrain for the last month or six weeks. The committees were unusually difficult to arrange, and the amount ot dis­ satisfaction was greater than ever before. Then, before he had fairly escaped from that annoyance and distress, his contested- election case came on. He had taken no interest in his own case, and had repeated­ ly declared that he shoulU make no ap­ pearance before the committee nor employ an attorney, but would rest his title to a seat entirely upon the prima-fncie claims of his contestant. But when Thoele put in his evidence the Speaker was taken entirely by surprise, and not only went be£ore the committee himself but bad the best legal talent to be found, both in Washington and Kentucky. He expected a unanimous re­ port from the committ e. He will not get it, nnd that was a sore disappointment. The immediate cause of tho Speaker's illness, however, was tha shock at reoeiving the following letter, whioh he opened at tha dinner table: "Dear Sir: In view of the unprofessional con­ duct of your counsel and the indecency of your partisans on the election committee in dragging into your defense and before the public, against my protest, certain private letters of mine which were written prior to my engagement as counsel for contestant, I am absolved from all protest-tonal courtesy requiring me to withhold irom the public < uituin affidavits and state­ ments now in my poeseasion affecting your per- s nal character. Very respectfully, "J. Hm.k Svpheh, Counsel for Ccntcstant." Those who are aware of the private life of tlie Speaker in the past will know what this note means and how shocked he must have been at the threat to uncover it just now when he has started out upon what he and his friends have been hoping would be his most successful session, and piaoa him in line for the Presidency to snoceed Mr. Cleveland. Tariff Legislation. (Washington special.1 The teriif bill will be brought into the House at as early a day as praoticable. The friends of tariff reform will take heed from past experience, and instead of per­ mitting one member to introduce a bill will prepare a measure that will have the approval of the majority of the committee, that will then be presented in the Honse, and will be perfected after it has been re­ ferred back. > The proverb is true, that light gains make heavy purses; for light gains oome often, great gains now and then. The office of liberality conaiateth thereby. Mr. Hale introduced a bill prepared by the American forestry congress to preserve the forests. Among the bills introduced in tha House wore the following: By Mr. Tuwnshend (111.,) to retire national bank notes and to substitute treasury notoa therefor; by Mr. Landeo (111 ,1 to reducs tne treasury surplus by paying a bountv of 25 cents a bushel on all whe.tt ex­ ported to foreign countries; by Mr. Chipnian (Mich ,) Increasing the duty on import«d litho­ graphs from 25 to SO per cent, ad valorem; by Mr. Tarsney (Mich.,) authorizing the construc­ tion of government buildings haying a post­ master, the coat of the building to range from «20,c0o in towns of 10.000 Inhabitants to 4150,000 in towns of 60,000 inhabitants. Mb. Wilson introduced a bill in the Senate, on the 17th inst., providing that any person Who in good faith settles upon and improves public lands believing the titio to be in the United (states shall be entitled to plead the title of the United States to the land in sup­ port of his claim, the same as if the United Mates was actually a party to the suit. From tbe Committee on Pensions Mr. Turpie re­ ported favorably a bill to increase to #7a per month the pension for total helplessness. Mr. Quay, from the same committee, also re­ ported favorably a bill to increase to StfO per month the pon iion for total deafness. Pension at a proportionate rate is to be granted for par­ tial loss ot hearing. Mr. Cox, of New York, was unanimously cboaen to preside over the House during the temporary absence of Speaker Car­ lisle. Mr. Wilkins called up as the unfinished business tbe bill to provide for the issue of cir­ culating notes to national bank associations, and Messrs. Weaver and Anderson filibustered in order to prevent action on the measure. In the House Mr. Crisp submitted the report of the Committee on Elections upon the Thoebe-Carlisle contested-election case, and it was ordered printed. Leave was also granted to tfae minority to file their individual views. Tbe committee takes up the case as shown by the record and finds that no evidence was pro­ duced which supports, or tends to support, any one of tbe specifications filed by the contestant. His witnesses prove nothing tending to impeach the fairness of the election. The technical point that tho judges of election in Trimble County were all Demo­ crats the committee dismisses with the statement that it does not follow that the State, law was vio­ lated in that particular, and cites the case of Barnes vs. Adams in the XLIst Congress as a precedent for its decision. In conclusion, the committee reported resolutions de­ claring Carlisle and not Thoeb© elected. Tbe President transmitted the Pacific Kail- road reports to Congress, with a message Btronglv condemning tbe management of the lines, and recommending legislation to protect the interests of tbe Government. Mb. Hawlet. of Connecticut, offered a reso­ lution In the Senate on the 19th inst., whioh was adopted, directing tbe Secretary of the Interior to report a plan of legislation thought by him to be needed for the disposition of the pub- lic timber lands so as to secure the preservation of the national forest lands at the headwaters of navigable rivers, and to put within the rights of settlers legal means of providing themselves with timber for building their homes. Adopted. Senator Htockbridge intro­ duced a bill appropriating $100,WW for a publio building at Grand Haven, Micb. Bills author­ izing tbe construction of bridges at Lexington, Mo., and Burlington, Iowa, were reported to the Senate and placed on tho calendar. The Senate adopted Mr. Manderson s resolution calling on the Secretary of War for information regarding the construction of a bridge at Omaha. The Senate spent most of the day in secret session at work on its calendar of treaties. Those of chief consequence^ are the British, Uussian, and Dutch extradition treaties. It is under­ stood that the treaty with the Netherlands was ratified. Another unsuccessful effort was made In the House to consider tbe Wilkins banking bill, and after half an hour's filibustering tbe matter went over. The Committee 011 Appro. Sriations reported the re^ulw^annuai pension ill to the House. The bill aj&rupriates twa. 970,900. * Some Advice to Wires. • Anticipate the discovery by your husband that yon are "only a woman if you were not, he would not oare about you. Once in a while let your huaband have the last word; It will .gratify him Mid be of no particular loea to you. He reasonable; it is a great deal to ask under some oircumstanoee, but do try; reasonable women are rare--be rare. Remember that servants are made of the same material as 'you are; a lit­ tle coarser grained, perhaps, but the same in essentials. Try and forget yourself; as to your husband, forget that you married him, and remember that lie married you; ho will then probably do the reverse. Let him read the newspaper at the breakfast-table; it is unsociable, but, then, it is only a trifle, after all, and he likes it. Let him know more than you do once in a while; it keeps up his self- respect, and you will be none the worse for admitting that you are not actually infallible. Be a companion to your husband if he is a wise man; and if he is not, try to make him become your companion. Raise his standard, do not let hhn lower yours. Read something in the papers besides fashion notes and society columns; have some knowledge of what is going on in foreign couutries. .V4 f; Jr • Y' ky® ,'•4 i • w Notwithstanding that the ball parks of our Northern cities are to-day covered wit% a thick ooating of snow and ice, it will no# be but a few weeks before the professional players of the country will begin to report , c; - at their respective headquarters for the ^ cha m p i o n s h i p B e a s o n o f 1 8 8 8 . A l r e a d y t h * ^ , y g i players who went to California last fall ' ̂ for the winter are beginning to straggly into Chicago, New York, Philadelphia^ Boston and Detroit, and by February 15 it is safe to say that all will have determine^ to enter into training for the work ahead.' It witt not, therefore, be too early, but 01 the contrary interesting to many lovers o the game, to take a glance over the field /• ,A „ with a view to determining, as far as pos^^^'^^^l sible, the outlook for this year's flght fog1 m the pennant. • In the American Association affairs seen! • to be far from settled. The team thai '* t ' 5?'t for three years past has walked ' away with the championship, and not b-ii' V /;rj VPi tried at that, the St. Louis Browns^ J has been broken up and almost dis-, ^ v ^V,4] banded, so that the team which wil^ \. V -&V represent the Mound City this year * * V'.-y ; will be an almost entirely new one. Fonts and Oarathen, the old team's crack pitchers, have gone to Brooklyn, as hast u i alsoDoo Bushong, the best catcher Von der Ahe ever had; Comiskey, Robinson and Latham being the only really bright lights of the old aggregation remaining- The Association is pretty badly torn up {'ust at present, from tbe fact that it has >ut seven clubs in its circuit. The Moguls. of the organization have tried hard in every direction to secure a city which would put an eighth club in the Association; but tbu» far their efforts have met with no effect. No available city seems to care enough for the old Metropolitan franchise to trfke it as a gift. But one ef two courses is left open to the Association in any event. One is to put in an eighth club in some small city like Troy, Albany. Buffalo or Mil­ waukee, with the Association pledging itself to see the new club through the sea­ son without financial loss; and the other is to let one of its present members go-- Cleveland, for instance, which is a tail- en der at best--and finish the season with but six clubs. The latter course named seems to be the wiser of the two. Whi jh- ever way they decide, however, it looks now, judging from the strength of the dif­ ferent teams, as though Brooklyn had the call upon the championship, with Louis­ ville and Cincinnati as its only really dan­ gerous competitors. Baltimore and the Athletics will probably have two pretty evenly matched teams, and they should make an interesting fight for the same position, whichever it may be. What St. Louis may do cannot yet be esti­ mated, as it is hard to tell tbe value of the new men it may put in the field. As to Cleveland, however, it is probable that if it is not fired out of the circuit it will en­ joy a fight for last place with the new olub, whichever that may be. While matters are in this jumbled state in the ranks of the Association, the old re­ liable National League is going right along, with its circuit complete and out­ side clubs wishing for a chance to get in. The teams which it will put into the field this season are com­ posed of the best base-ball talent in th© country, and that they will be even more equally matched this sea60n than last seems probable. Pittsburg, by securing the ser­ vices of Albert Maul and Hardy and Hen­ derson, of the Philadelphia club, and Dun- lap, of the Detroit club, has undoubtedly done a good thing for itself, and may be expected to occupy a better position in the race of 1888 than it did in tbat of 1887. Indianapolis, too, is mending its fences in food style, and with such men as Paul lines, Glasscock and Denny in its ranks this season, better ball may be looked for from its team. Detroit, with the excep­ tion of Dunlap, will probably have about the same team it possessed - lust year. Getzein and Baldwin will doubt- leps be its crack twirlers, while old reli­ able Charley Bennett will hold down the delivery of both pitchers in just as many . games as he can catch and keep himself in condition. Bennett is an invaluable man to tbe Wolverine management, and if the truth were known Charley draws th© biggest salary of any catcher in the bust- ness. Well, he is worth it. Boston has secured one player of note thus far this season, that player being Sowders, late of ' the St. Paul Club. Sowders proved him­ self a good pitcher last year, but hurt his arm in an exhibition game against the , Chicago team later on, and was both­ ered with it foe some time afterward. If he has recovered from the injury he may prove a good man to the Boston club. So far as we can judge at the present time, ' / it is likely that this year will see one of 4li­ the greatest three-cornered lights for the *• League championship that have yet occurred in the history of the game, the clubs being >, ? Chicago, New York, and Detroit. The bouse of A. G. Spalding & Bros. have this winter manufactured 1,000 dozen base-ball bats, made from old wagon and reaper tongues. The great difficulty in obtaining wood from which to make springy and yet solid bats has been in se­ curing well-seasoned and perfectly grained * wood, free fron knots. A year ago the firm made several dozen bats from some old wagon-tongues it hud bought, and An® son, who tried them, was so well pleased with the service they gave tbat this winter the firm purchased all the old wagon and . .. reaper tongues it could lay its hands upon, and mads them up into bats at its Chicago factory. A dossen of the bats were sent out to Van Haltren in California a month w <><; ago for trial, and the boys expressed -j * themselves as delighted with them. "I shall give my men but one bit of advice when they go to bat," said Anson the other day, and that is, "Be sure and take a 'wagon-tongue bat' out of the bag when you step to the plats." Tommy Burns, the clever short-stop of the Chicago Club, who has been in Cali­ fornia since last November, returned home this week. When asked if he bad seen or bad any talk with Pfeffer before leaving Frisco for home, Tommy said: "Yes; I had a brief chat With him shortly before I went to th© train." "Bid he say anything as to his intentions for the coming season?" "No farther than to intrust me with a message to President Spalding to the effect that he would be in Chiaago in two weeks time or less, and would call on Mr. Spalding at the latter's office." "Do you infer by this that he signing a Chicago contract?" "Yes. But I hav * never thought he in* tended doing anything else. It has been my belief right along that not only Fred, but Clarkson also, would be found with the White Stockings when the season opened this year. I tell you, that after a man has been with the Chicago Club for two or three seasons he is stuck on holding to his job. As for myself, I shall probably wear a Chicago uniform so long as I play'ball- provided, of course, that the olub desires my services. Notwithstanding the many hard and unkind things that have been said about Anson, I would rather play ball un­ der the old man tham under any other »*»ti captain in the business, and not a few of the balance ef the team feel just as I ' ~ A-Cvfr . iH • mm* " ""fe W;r r r&S '•Hr. ""Vv, " ? A ».5 'J Jv;/ -- w ^ - Wi