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THE PLAINDEALEB " J. VAN SLYKE, Editof and Pub. MCHENRY. ILLINOIS IS FRIDAY UNLUCKY? m fr NAVIGATORS WOULD NOT BEGIN SEASON THAT DAY. Pfi • few r Big Boats Left Chicaso Harbor on Accountof Siiperstition-Railroad Companies' Ships Start Later--Kaiser Sends a "Gunboat to Liberia. ' . . Superstition of Navigators. Lake navigation should have opened April 1, but owing to the superstition of skippers and sailors regarding Friday, few If any of the big boats sailed out of Chi­ cago harbor before Saturday morning. In several instances the vessels left their docks a few minutes after 12 o'clock Fri­ day night. Not one captain would admit that he had any superstition about sailing on Friday. In many cases_ it was repre­ sented that the crew would not be got to­ gether in time or that the coal bunkers had not been filled. AH along the river tthere was life and action. Most of the vessels were*prepared to start for Buffalo with their cargo.es of grain. The major­ ity of the Vessels were what the sailors icall "tramp boats." They belong to none of the big transportation lines, and are not governed by the rules of those com­ panies. With the opening of navigation on April 1 marine insurance went into effect. It is seldom that the big lines care to take the risk in sailing before the first day .of the month. An agreement be­ tween the great railroad lines has been reached to the effect that none of their vessels are to leave Chicago before April 16. The following lines are included in this understanding: Lehigh Valley, West­ ern Transit Company, Anchor, Union* Steamboat Company, Lackawanna, Og- densburg Transit Company and the Bal­ timore and Ohio. Coercion of Liberia. Joseph Hartzell, American Methodist bishop in Africa, who has arrived in New York from the dark continent, says tfiat while he was in Liberia a German gun­ boat arrived and demanded $11,500 in­ demnity for an alleged offense to a Ger­ man subject. The indemnity was calcu­ lated as follows: For damage to property, $3,500; $3,500 for threatening to stab the -German in question, and $4,500 for the expense of collecting the money with a gunboat. President Colman refused to pay, whereupon the commander of the gunboat told him that Germany would waive the claim for the indemnity if a treaty was entered into placing Liberia under German protectorate. This was also declined and President Colman re­ quested Bishop Hartzell to endeavor to move England and the United States to back Liberia in its effort to remain inde­ pendent of German and French interfer­ ence. The bishop says he has laid the matter before the British Government and now intends taking it to the Govern­ ment at Washington. r • Tefuses to make known -the name* of the persons indicted until after they shall have been arrested. It is alleged, how­ ever, that the indictments are the outcome of an investigation that has been proceed ing for some time into the operations or the public works department of Brooklyn, It is also said that the indictments charge a conspiracy by which the city was de­ frauded of $80,000 by means of fraudu­ lent contracts. The records charge the $80,000 in question to "emergency work." The law required that aR work the cost of which was to exceed $2,000 should be awarded by contracts, upon advertise­ ment for the regular time. To evajde this law, it is alleged, the officers of the Brook­ lyn city works department had been in the habit of ordering work and paying for it in sums of $2,000 or less. Most of these smalJ jobs and the money for them fell info the hands of a firm that appeared up­ on the books as Thomas Frazier & Co. A little detective work disclosed the fact that Contractor Daniel Doody was really Thomas Frazier & Co. All the bills for this "emergency work" had to receive the "Q. K." of Water Purveyor Knapp, be certified as correct by Deputy City Works Commissioner Fielding, passed by Auditor Sutton, thence through the hands of Comptroller Palmer and were liually paid by City Treasurer Taylor. WESTERN. m: •I?':' Work of California Earthquake. While considerable damage was done in and throughout northern California by the recent earthquake, the loss to the Navy Department at Mare Island is the greatest, a conservative estimate placing it at $150,000. Only two buildings in t'he navy yard escaped damage. The sawmill and paint shops are a mass of ruins. The hospital, a three-story brick building, is cracked from top to bottom. Several nar­ row escapes are related, and many pa­ tients received severe shocks. In officers' row, every house i« damaged. All de­ partments have ceased work except that of equipment and the yards and docks. Both Condemned to Death. At the trial of Ivarditzi and Giorgil in Athens, on the charge of an attempt to assassinate King George of Greece on Feb. 20 last, when his majesty was re­ turning from Phalennn to Athens, a large number of the leading Greeks and many members of the diplomatic corps were present. Karditzi, who is ill with con­ sumption, said he was impelled to the act by newspaper articles declaring King George responsible for the misfortunes of the country. Giorgil declared that he fired into the air. Both prisoners were condemned to death. NEWS NUGGETS. 611' The Ohio river is falling everywhere above Louisville except at Pittsburg. Ex-Mayor A. Oakey Hall and has wife of New York have joined the Roman Catholic Church. A receiver has been appointed for the Acetylene Light, Heat and Power Com­ pany of Philadelphia. By a vote of 18 to 18 the Senate at Co­ lumbus, Ohio, defeated the Sullivan bill abolishing capital punishment. The Austro-Hungarian Government in tends to ask $15,000,000 to increase the strength of the Austrian navy. Advices from Porto Rico state that au­ tonomy is as much of a failure or. that island as in Cuba. The ministry has re signed. At Jpittsburg, Pa., because Bortlia As- iegele would not marry him, William illman killed her and then cut his own iroat. Captain C. D. Sigsbee, who commanded e battleship Maine at the time of the plosion, has been assigned to duty as to Secretary of the Navy Long. St. Louis, James Street and 1). D nessy, two jockeys, became engaged quarrel near the fair grounds, which in Street being murdered by a known as Anton McHale Cronin," from Liverpool ized a razor Henuessy with one s'.^sli cut to ear. The newly formetlv-irp an(j r0r.j trust at » ii. ?• ™U0' ^ charge at once of tie big Cleveland plants of the H 1' Nail Company. AmericanHVire Company and Sonsolidated Steel an\ Wire Com­ pany. The new trust will control about 75 per cent of the country's total output of rods, wire, wire nails and wire pro­ ducts. \ ^ W. H-; Byers, doing business as Gannon & Byers, wholesale millinery, at 517 West Main street, Louisville, Ky., assigned to John M. Byers. Assets estimated at 100,000; liabilities, $70,000. The bulk of the creditors are in the East. EASTERN. While a force of men was engaged in taking out the center cone of a new oven at the plant of the Pennsylvania Car Wheel Company, Allegheny, the oven col­ lapsed and buried the four men engaged In the •tfork under tons of brick and mor­ tar. Of the four, three were seriously in­ jured, and at least one, it is thought', will In Jthe Kings County criminal court in Brooklyn, fourteen or fifteen indictments were handed down by the grand jury against, former city officials and, contract­ ors of Brooklyn. District Attorney Ma- ">• , ' j. '• Mayor Phelan of San Francisco has ap­ pointed a Committee of fifteen to devise a plan for an international exposition to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the admission of California, into the Union. At At wood, Kan., Wesley Cochrane, Jr., a young man of good family, cut his throat with a razor, dying instantly. A few minutes after lie was found dying Mrs. Gertie Woodward, daughter of the editor of the Atwood Citizen, was found in the doorway of the newspaper office, where she had been shot down. She died after stating that Cochrane did the shoot­ ing. The cause of the suicide and murder is not known. William A. Lamon, a merchant; G. W. Gaines, agent of the Missouri. Kansas and Texas Railroad, and Laton Sharpe, a sec­ tion hand, all of Gibson. I. T., have been indicted by the Federal grand jury at Wagoner, I. T„ for murdering Ed Chalm­ ers and his wife, who were killed by the mob the other night near Wybark. Ed Burns, Robert Blaioek and R. L. Mills, the other parties who were charged with being members of the mob, were not in­ dicted. All members of the" Salem, O., Wire Nail Company were present or represent­ ed by agents at an important meeting the other day. The matter of consolidation was placed before the officials by Frank Baackcs, recently elected general man­ ager of the American Steel Wire Com­ pany. Mr. Baackes stated the object of the consolidation to be mutual protection. The meeting resulted in the Salem com­ pany entering the combine, which is now completed. The house of Edward Hansman, at Kent, Minn., was burned, and Mr. Hans- man. his wife and five cl&ldren perished in the flames. The fire occurred about 3 o'clock in the morning. Mr. Hansman went home about 2 o'clock, and soon after the fire was discovered. It was too late to render any assistance, as the family was suffocated. The bodies were recovered, burned almost beyond recognition. Mr. Hansman was a saloonkeeper at Kent and had extensive laud interests at Wynd- mere, N. D. Patrick Murphy, a miner at Butte, Mont,, was arrested for most atrocious and fiendish cruelty to his wife. He had beaten her, and the woman took refuge in a cellar. When she thought her hus­ band had left the house she tried to come out through a trap door in the floor. Mur­ phy jumped on the door and caught one of her arms between the door and the floor. Then he slowly poured a kettle of scalding water over her. arm. The arm was boiled from fingers to shoulders, and amputation was necessary. At Waukesha, Wis., fire which broke out in the Wisconsin Industrial School for Boys between 0 and 7 o'clock the other night was practically under control at 9:30, though some parts of the structure were still burning. The loss is estimated, at $100,000. The fire is said to have start­ ed in the attic above the knitting works, from some unknown cause. The shoe and knitting factories and laundry were burned to the ground and several other departments were partly burned. There were 350 boys and between thirty-five and forty employes in the institution at the time, but all were marshaled out in safe­ ty. Several of the boys ran away, but none is believed to have been injured in the fire. Chief Foley of the Milwaukee fire department, with twelve men, one eu- gine and 1,000 feet of hose, went on a special train and did splendid work in subduing the flames. Had it not been for the timely arrival of assistance from Mil­ waukee the institution would probably have been completely destroyed. third alias England, w! had dropp«;<] Street's throat SOUTHERN. ment to concentrate 'colored troops ta th« vicinity of Cuba, as' it is recognized that the negro is better able to withstand the (Cuban climate than the white man. The report of the United States naval court pshaws clearly that the Maine was destroyed by a submarine mine, but fail9 to fix the responsibility. A report pre­ pared by a Spanish 'Commission presents directly opposite conclusions. Negotia tions are understood to be pending be­ tween Spain and the United States look­ ing to a peaceful solution of the present troublesome problem, and cabinet officers declare the outlook is most promising. FOREIGN. James Payn, the novelist, who had been ill for several weeks in Loudon, is dead, aged (IS Refers. China lias agreed to all the Russian de­ mands, including leases of Port Arthur and Ta-Lien-Wan for twenty-five years. Princess Marie Amelie d'Orleaus, the Princess de Joinville, daughter-in-law of the late .Louis Philippe, king of the French, is dead* -i An uprising is reported at Tociinto, in the State of Lara. Venezuela. Several engagements have occurred, the govern­ ment troops winning all of them. The permanent exhibition of American manufactures was. opened at Caracas, Venezuela. President Andrade attended the opening. There was much" enthusi­ asm. • ? Mrs. Delia Tu.dor Parnell, daughter of. the. celebrated American naval officer, Rear Admiral Charles Stewart, and moth­ er of the late Charles Stewart Parnell, died. at". Avoudale, Rath drum, ydounty. Wicklow, Ireland, as the result of the burns received from the igniting of her clothing while she was sitting before a fire. ^ The Official Messenger at St. Peters­ burg publishes a circular which has been telegraphed by Count Muravieff, the Rus­ sian minister for foreign affairs, to the representatives of Russia abroad. It is as follows: By virtue of a convention sign­ ed at Peking March 27. Port Arthur and the port of I'a-Lien-Wan, and the terri­ tories adjacent, have been ceded to Russia in usufruct by China. You are requested to notify the Government whereto you are accredited, adding that the above-men­ tioned ports and territories will be imme­ diately occupied by Russian troops, and that the Russian flag will be hoisted by the side of the Chinese flag. You may at the same time inform the foreign min­ ister that the port of Ta-Lien-Wan will be open to foreign trade, and that the larg­ est measure of hospitality will be extend­ ed to the ships of all friendly nations. An official communication issued to the press adds: The cessions are for twenty- five years, but may be extended later by common accord. Further, China has con­ ceded the right of constructing a railroad to connect the ports with the Trans-Sibe­ rian main line. The official communica­ tion continues: While safeguarding the in­ tegrity and sovereignty of China, and satisfying the essential needs of Russia, the arrangement injures the interests of no foreign state. On the contrary, it af­ fords all nations the possibility of cnter- T in the near future into relations with the river regions of the Yellow Sea, hith­ erto closed to them. The opening of Ta- Lien-Wan to the merchant ships of all na­ tions will create a new and wide market for commerce and industry, owing to the Trans-Siberian line, which is henceforth destined to connect the extremities of two continents and the old world. The ar­ rangement, therefore, is of high historical value to Russia and should be hailed as a fortunate event by all those who have at heart the benefits of peace and the devel­ opment of good relations among nations. IN GENERAL. -jWmL G. B. Saunders, 52 years old, a com­ mercial .traveler from Chicago, died of heart disease at Dallas, Tex. At Talladega, Ala., Walter Johnston shot and-killed his sister. The shooting was accidental. The ball took effect in the girl's temple and death was instan­ taneous. Louis Burgess, a young Frenchman, stabbed and instantly killed Will C. Gates in a Louisville barroom because Gates re­ sented some remarks he had made relative to the Cuban question. Sergeant Tscherning, whose sudden dis­ appearance from Fort Monroe a few days ago caused a sensation, has been found at Southport, N. C., apparently suffering from the effects of a spree. At Little Rock, Ark., R. M. Randle was sentenced to fifteen months in prison at hard labor at the penitentiary at Leaven­ worth on the charge of collecting fees for securing a pension for an old colored woman employed as a cook in his family. He pleaded guilty several years ago, but Judge Williams suspended senteuce on condition that he should pay the amount of overcharge, about $198. This he never made an effort to do. The whole Lee family, consisting of father, mother and two small children, have been murdered on a ranch near Paint Rock, Texas. A man who gave the alarm states that in the early part of the evening two men called at the Lee house and asked to be allowed to stay during the night. They were denied accommoda tions. Later in the night he awoke to find two men in the house, and as he ran he was fired upon by them. An ax was the weapdn used for murdering the victims The failure of the St. Lawrence route to capture even a moderate share of the American grain trade from the West lias led to a determined movement for the im­ mediate construction by the Canadian Government of the Montreal, Ottawa and Georgian Bay Canal. While the crew of the sealing steamer Greenland was traveling about the floe3 in search of seals, a storm arose. The members of the crew who were on the ice could not regain the vessel. Forty-eight men perished, and between fifty and sixty were so badly frost-bitten that the ampu­ tation of one or more of their limbs will have to be undergone by all of them. Twenty-five bodies were recovered. Bradstreet's weekly trade review says: "The favorable features of the week in distributive trade have been the reports coming, with few exceptions, from all parts of the West and Northwest, and marred only by the check to business and shipments caused by heavy rains and high water in the Ohio valley. The unsettled condition of our relations with Spain is credited with exercising some effect upon immediate demands and upon future un­ dertakings in the eastern portion of the country. But the two industries, cotton and woolen, most complaining, are those in which conditions other than foreign complications have for some time past been working toward depression. Flour and corn exports are larger this week, but those of wheat are smaller. The total exports of wheat, including flour, aggre­ gate 3,890,318 bushels, against 3,079,050 bushels last week. Corn exports aggre­ gate 4,490,000 bushels, against 3,941,874 bushels last week." MARKET REPORTS. HORRORS IN CUBA TOLD TO THE SENATE. Mggl tenator Gal linger. SENATOR GALLINGEIt, of New Hampshire, said In the Senate Wed­ nesday: "The war In Cuba Is one of starvation and extermination, a war more cruel tlian the world has ever known. It is worse even than that of the Kurds against the Armenians. In an old building at Los Fiocas we found 645 per­ sons lying on the floors. Many of themv were entirely nude, and all were starv­ ing. At Matauzas the railroad station was covered with poor, helpless beings, In rags, who had been driven from their homes only to beg for pity and bread. The appeals of naked children were heartrending. Weyler had here devised a scheme of human suffering and.sorrow that put Dante's Inferno In the shade, and converted a prosperous people into a herd 6f starving unfortunates. Eight hundred dead were carried to their graves In six days by one hearse In San Ohrls- tobal. Deaths resulted from lack of food, and In many other cities of the Island every dog and cat has been eaten by the starving unfortunates. What a picture Is this, eighty miles from our shore, and yet this great nation folds Us arms and officially savs: 'Am I my brother's keep­ er?' What of the Maine? I do not know, but one thing 1 do know. A government that would starve 400,000 of its own peo­ ple would do anything. Human life pur- poselv taken cannot be paid for in gold or silver, and If it shall appear that such was the fate of 250 American sailors, then heaven pity the guilty. For those words I may be called a 'jingo,' but I would rather be n jingo than a tory. I do not believe that Spain can subdue the In­ surgents. They have been oppressed so long that they prefer death to continued Spanish rule. In the interests of a com­ mon humanity this country should Inter­ vene and stop the war. It Is a reproach on this age of civilization that a bank­ rupt country like Spain should hold in bondage a people which has aspirations for the same liberty that we enjoy." Q o Senator Thurston. ENATOIt JOHN M. THURSTON, of Nebraska, who lately returned from a Journey to Cuba, Thursday addressed the Senate upon the Cuban sit­ uation. "Mr. President," said Mr. Thurs­ ton, "I.am here by command of silent lips to speak once and for all upon the Cuban situation. After three years of warfare and the use of 225,0.00 Spanish- troops, Spain has.lost Control of every foot of Cuba , not surrounded by an actual in- trenchment and protected by a fortified picket line. The revolutionists are In absolute and almost peaceful possession of nearly one-half of the island. Under the Inhuman policy. of Weyler not less than 400,000 self-supporting, simple, peaceable, defenseless country people were driven from their homes in the ag­ ricultural portions of the Spanish prov­ inces to the cities and Imprisoned upon the barren wastes outside the residence portions of these cities and within the lines of iutrenchiuent established a little way beyond. Most of these people were old men, women and children. Slow starv­ ation was their Inevitable fate. A con­ servative estimate indicates that 210,000 <2 of these people have already p'erlshiffd from starvation. The government of Spain has never contributed $1 to shel­ ter, feed or provide medical attention for these, its citizens. Twice within the past three years, " Mr. Thurston said, "he had voted for a resolution recognizing the belligerency of the Cuban Insurgents, but he was satisfied it was now too late to accord them belligerent rights, or even merely to recognize the Independence of the Cuban republic. The United States should now actively use Its influence for the Independence of the Island. It was i?G..PIaIon. <?Uty. of, the Resident of the United States to give to the liberal min­ istry of Spain a reasonable time In which to test its proposed autonomy. That time has been given. Autonomy Is conceded has been given. The time for action has come. Every hour's delay adds another chapter to the awful story of misery and death. Only one power can Intervene-- the United States of America." SISTER SHIPS. The Kentucky and the Kcarsarge Uncle Sam's Greatest Vessels. WASHINGTON. iSs-Senator J. C. S. Blackburn of Ken­ tucky suffered a stroke of paralysis of the heart at Washington. Representative John Simpkins of the 13th district Massachusetts, died at his residence in Washington, of heart fail­ ure, induced by gastric complications. i Secretary Wilson has designated C. C. Georgeson special agent of the Agricul­ tural Department in Alaska to conduct experiments with a view to determining what vegetables and cereals are best adapted to grow in Alaskan soil. By direction of Gen. Miles, command­ ing the army, orders have been issued for the transfer of the Twenty-fifth regiment of infantry to, the Dry Tortugas. The fact that this regiment is made up of col­ ored troops is regarded as significant in showing the purpose of the War Depart- Chicago--Cattle, common to prime, $3.00 to §5.75; hogs, shipping grades, $3.00 to $4.00; sheep, fair to choice, $2.50 to $5.00; wheat, No. 2 red, $1.05 to $1.00; corn, No. 2, 28c to 29c; oats, No. 2, 24c to 25c; rye, No. 2, 49c to 50c; butter, choice creamery, 18c to 19c; eggs, fresh, 9c to 10c; potatoes, common to choice, 50c to 70c per bushel. Indianapolis--Cattle, shipping, $3.00 to $5.50; hogs, choice light, $3.00 to $4.25; sheep, common to choice, $3.00 to $4.75; wheat, No. 2, 92c to 94c; corn, No. 2 white, 31c to 32c; oats, No. 2 white, 29c to 31c. St. Louis--Cattle, $3.00 to $5.75; hogs, $3.00 to $4.00; sheep, $3.00 to $4.75; wheat, No. 2, 97c to 98c; corn, No. 2 yellow, 20c to 28c; oats, No. 2, 25c to 27c; rye, No. 2, 48c to 49c. Cincinnati--Cattle, $2.50 to $5:25; hogs, $3.00 to $4.25; sheep, $2.50 to $5.00; wheat, No. 2 red, 95c to 97c; corn, No. 2 mixed, 31c to 32c; oats, No. 2 mixed, 28c to 30c*; rye, No. 2, 51c to 53c. Detroit--Cattle, $2.50 to $5.50; hogs, $3.00 to $4.00; sheep, $2.50 to $4.75; wheat,„ No. 2, 95c to 90c; corn, No yellow, 29c to 31c; oats, No. 2 white, 30c to 31c; rye, 51c to 53c. Toledo--Wheat, No. 2 red, 90c to 98c corn, No. 2 mixed, 29c to 31c; oats, No. 2 white, 25c to 27c; rye, No. 2, 49c to 51c clover seed, $2.85 to $2.90. Milwaukee--Wheat, No. 2 spring, 94c to 90c; corn, No. 3, 28c to 30c; oats, No. 2 white, 29c to 30c; rye, No. 1, 55c to 50c; barley, No. 2, 42c to 45c; pork, mess, $9.00 to $9.50. Buffalo--Cattle, $3.00 to $5.50; hogs, $3.00 to $4.25; sheep, $3.00 to $5.25; wheat, No. 2 red, 98c to $1.00; corn, No. 2 yellow, 32c to 34c; oats, No. 2 white, 30c to 32c. , ' New York--Cattle, $3,00 to $5.50; hogs, $3.00 to $4.25; sheep, $3.00 to $5.25; wheat, No. 2 red, $1.01 to $1.02; corn, No. 2, 36c to 37c; oats, Np. 2 jvhite,'29c to 81c; butter, creamery, lGc. to 20c; eggs. Western, 10c to 11c. Tli? battle ships Kentucky, and Kear- Barge, launched Thursday, are exact coun­ terparts of each other and make a brace of fighting machines more powerful than any two ships that steam upon the seas. Sister ships built on the same lines from the same specifications, the eye of an ex­ pert navy man would be needed to note any little differences in their construction. Both are tremendous men-of-war and unique in nppearanee. They seem rather short for their breadth of beam. Their extreme length is only 308 feet, while amidships they measure 72 feet 2 inches across. The forward freeboard measures 14 feet 3 inches, and the freeboard aft 12 feet 4 inches. The mean draft of both ships is 23 feet 0 inches, with their normal 410 tons of coal, which means a displace­ ment of 11,500 tons. Power stands out in their every line, but it is in their tremen­ dous armament and their magnificent ar­ mor that the Ivearsarge and Kentucky frighten one even to look at them. Four threatening 13-inch guns peer out from the two main turrets; that is, two guns to each turret. Over the main turrets are two second turrets, which carry each two 8-inch guns. Fourteen 5-ineh quick-firing rifles piake up the waist armament. The secondary batteries consist of twenty 0- pounder rapid-fire and six 1-pounder guns and four machine guns. There are five torpedo tubes, two on each broadside and /me at the stern. Two military tops mounting machine guns, complete the ar- 'nanient of these ships. CIt /Is doubtful if any other.warship can/hum such a mass of metal from her side as. thieve sister ships vill be able to do when ra action. Their draft, when the coal stock is light, (vill enable them to steam into the prin­ cipal navy yards and ports of the country. As for armor, the Kentucky and Kear- ;arge need ask odds of no fighting ship in oiir own or in any other navy. All the armor is of solid nickel steel, harveyized. The barbette's armor is 15 inches in thick­ ness, and the 13-inch gun turrets are pro­ tected by 15 inches of the same hard metal. Directly in front these turrets are strengthened with 17 instead of 15 inches of harveyized nickel stefel: Armored bulk­ heads will shelter the vitals of the ships. The Kentucky and Kearsarge can steam at the rate of ten knots an hour for 0,000 miles, or at thirteen knots, an hour for 4,000 miles--clear across the Atlantic. The commissary department authorized the manufacturers of tents, camp equip­ age and clothing for the Government to furnish such articles in unlimited quanti­ ties for the use of the army until further notice. Accouterments within the quar­ termaster general's office, necessary in the time of war, are to be supplied for use of the State militia organizations, as well as for the standing army. Orders- for the shipment of heavy ord­ nance from various posts were issued as the first stop in a general plan outlined for the movement, of all the cavalry, in­ fantry and artillery troops of the country, except those on the Pacific coast. Orders for carrying out the rest of the plan have been prepared in every detail, and the papers for execution of each step have only to be signed. Preparations for, the general movement of the troops provide for the transportation of soldiers by srpe- eial trains, and contracts have been made with traffic managers of all lines of rail­ ways which are to be used between points of departure and destination. IT is found that as a result of these careful arrange­ ments all the infantry and cavalry troops east of Denver can be set down at points where they are to lie stationed within for­ ty-eight hours of the receipt of orders to move. , Commanders of all military departments and posts involved in the movements have been supplied with all information in re­ gard to the topography of Cuba, the out­ lying islands of the West Indies, and of the Philippines, which the bureau of mili­ tary information of the War Department has been busily engaged in obtaining from every available source during the last few weeks. Charts of various kinds, showing the location of every point of military strategic value in the anticipated field of operation, with full description of it and its surroundings, and the value to the enemy, have been prepared for the in­ struction of the officers of the army. Spe­ cial attention has been given by the bu­ reau of information to the work of secur­ ing facts in reference to the source of the coal supply in Cuba and the Philippines, and the means of cutting off such supply from the enemy. CROPS FROST-BITTEN. GUNS ORDERED EAST. Military Authorities Take Important Steps in Anticipation of War. A radical step in anticipation of war was taken by the army administration Thursday afternoou. Orders were issued to the commanders of military depart­ ments and posts in various parts of the United States calling for the immediate shipment to the Atlantic seaboard of all siege, field and rapid-fire guns in use at all infantry stations east of Denver. mm CENTRAL ILLINOIS TEACHERS. Fruit Trees and Early Vejretation Suffer in Many States. The cold wave which swept in from the west last week did much damage to fruit trees and early vegetation in all the States which it traversed. The injury has been increased by the fact that the preceding warm weather caused the trees to blossom freely. The extent of the damage cannot be accurately estimated, but telegraphic reports from various sections show that serious injury has resulted. Throughout the greater part of Illinois orchardists and farmers take a gloomy view of the situation and predict that the fruit crop has been badly hurt. Reports of damage come from many points in Mis­ souri, but horticulturists in the famous Ozark region think their crops will be protected by snow. Kansas, Oklahoma, Indian Territory, Arkansas and Texas re­ port damage to fruit trees. Reports from northwestern Arkansas show destruction has been wrought in the fruit crops of that section by recent heavy rain, snow and sleet. The strawberry crop of the en­ tire northern tier of counties has suffered thousands of dollars' worth of damage, while all other fruits except the apple crop are believed to have been killed Many Texas fruit growers assert that the blizzard practically ruined the crop. Oth­ ers say that the freeze was not severe and general enough to do such widespread damage, but all agree that the loss will be serious. " Corea's first railway, twenty-five miles in length, is being constructed by Ameri can contractors. The excavating and rough work is being done by natives, who receive 35c a day. MRS. THURSTON'S DYlNu WORuS TO THE WOMbN OF AMERICA. O! /Mothers of abe wfyo tei, , clasp your little or?es close to your lovir?£ pearte! TfyinK of tl?e black despair Thai" filled eacl? Cabai? nQOlfrer's breast as she felt l?er life blood ebbii# away apd Kf?ew that sfye left ber little otjea * to perish from tl?e pains of starvation apa disease.'.' Annual Meeting Held at Jacksonville --Officer* Chosen. The Central Illinois Teachers' Associa­ tion held its annual meeting in Jackson­ ville, with a large attendance. The Grand Opera House was used for the general meetings. The instructors were welcom­ ed with an eloquent address by Dr. Brad­ ley, president of Illinois College. Presi­ dent Shoop of Paris read his annual ad­ dress on "Educational Creeds," which was followed by an address on "Litera­ ture and the Teacher," by Prof. W. E. Simonds of Knox College. In the evening Richard Edwards of Bloomiugton pronounced a eulogy on the late Dr. Bateman, and Rev. Jenkin Lloyd Jones of Chicago delivered an address on "Horace Mann, the Prophet of the Pub­ lic Schools." Early in the morning of the second day the members visited the institution for the blind, and they were delighted with the work being done under the direction of Prof. W. H. Hall. All kinds of work pos­ sible for the blind was shown in opera­ tion, the various classes read and recited, and some wonderful arithmetic exercises were shown. In music the pupils showed great proficiency. The teachers then returned to the opera house, where they listened to papers by Mrs. James of Monmouth, Miss Ada Hamilton of Jacksonville and Miss Eva Sherman of Danville. Prof. H. J. Bar­ ton of the Illinois University. President Bradley of the Illinois College, W. W. Black of Paris, Prof. E. E. Davenport of Champaign, Superintendent F. M. Rich­ ardson of Lincoln and Prof. MeMurray of Normal. Various sectional meetings were held in the afternoon. Officers chosen for the 'eusuing year sire: S,'C i President--Da'fid Feimlcy; formal. Vice-President--Hugh Watson, Jack­ sonville. Secretary--Gertrude R. Chapin, Gales- burg. Railroad Secretary--T. M. Jeffords, Winchester. Treasurer--,T. A. Mercer. Peoria. Executive Committee--W. R. Hatfield, Pittsfieldj'B. F. Armitage, Mattooii; H. J, Barton, Champaign. COST OF SANITARY CANAL. Clerk Reddick of <the Board Gives Fig­ ures on Expenditures. In his annual report to the sanitary board Clerk James Reddick covers the financial operations of the board for the last year and reviews the ct>st of the chan­ nel to Jan. 1, 1898. Mr. Reddick departs from the custom of giving the cost in gross amounts ou the ground that it is misleading, and he strikes out of the ex­ hibit $2,270,000 of bonds that have been paid from additional bond issues, carrying only the interest upon such bonds as are a charge on the district. His figures show a net cost to Jan. 1 of $25,074,030. The principal items are: Construction $18,859,309 Laud account, right of way 2,783,507 Interest and premium ....:. ],876.455 Engineering department......... 1,102,585 Maintenance 1,052,714 The receipts were $25,978,313, of which amount $11,330,000 was from sale of bonds, the balance from taxes. The gross expenses last year were $0,- 450,033, of which the leading items were: Tax levy warrants redeemed $2,524,190 Construction account 1,951,352 Bond account Interest account Interest on tax warrants Land account Engineering department The net expenses for last year, after deducting the tax levy warrants redeem­ ed, were $3,932,443. While the board was enabled last year to issue $800,000 in bonds against the bonds redeemed, the board this year is limited to an issue of but $144,400, while its payment for redeemed bonds was $080,000. This is due to the lower assess­ ed, valuation of property in the district, which places the board within that much of the 5*per cent limit allowed by the law. The total amount of bonds issued since the organization of the sanitary district was $13,000,000, of which amount there is outstanding $11,330,000. GS0.000 509,440 100,063 269,218 151,244 COST OF STATE CHARITIES. Report of Expenditures for the Last Quarter of 1897. The State Board of Charities has issued its quarterly financial statement, showing the movement of population and cost of maintenance of the several State charita­ ble institutions for the quarter ending De­ cember, 1897. The report shows appro­ priations drawn during the quarter amounted to $311,532.02, and appropria­ tions undrawn Jan. 1, 1898, $2,780,453.90. The total cost to the State for the quarter for the several institutions for general ex­ penses was as follows: Northern Insane Hospital .. Eastern Insane Hospital ... Central Iusmie Hospitnl Southern Insane Hospital ... Asylum for Insane Criminals Deaf and Dumb Asylum .... Institution of the Blind .... Asylum for Feeble-Minded dren Soldiers' Orphans' Home ... Eye and Ear Infirmary Soldiers and Sailors' Home .. Soldiers' "Widows' Home Home for Juvenile Female fenders .; Chil- Of- $41,180.57 78,524.00 39.S84.59 38,200.00 8,538.00 36,303.00 14,754.00 25,947.00 10,274.00 8,004.00 33,029.00 2,007.00 4,914.00 Total expense for the quarter.?384,029.53 The average cost per capita for these institutions was, gross, $42.25; net, $39.47. The movement of inmates at all insti­ tutions for the quarter was as follows: Present at beginning of quarter 8,942 Admitted, new 537 Readmitted 133 Absentees returned '.... 374 Total for th>e'Quarter Discharged or absent during quarter Died Present at end of quarter ......... Males .... .'.V; Females ..... Total for the quarter ; .9,986 News of Minor Note. Lambert Brewer, laborer, was run down by'a switch engine in the Chicago, Burlington and Quiney yards at Quincy and instantly killed. Work on the factory of the Anderson Mclntyre Condensed Milk and Caramel Company at Genoa will begin at once. Nearly all of the $15,000 bonus asked has been raised. The town of Chestnut was raided on a recent morning by a professional gang of s.1fe blowers, Who terrorized the citizens and escaped with money and valuables, after cracking four safes. At Sterling. Judge Bigelow rendered his decision in the Modern oodmen case, dismissing all five bills, practically decid­ ing against Fulton. The people of Fulton will appeal to the appellate court. The bridge of the Chicago and Alton, Jacksonville division, across Salt creek, between Greenview and Mason City, went oxfi the other night a few moments after the Kansas City and Chicago fast express, bound for Chicago, had Crossed it. Adjutant General Reece has issued |an order confirming elections in the Fourth Infantry, Illinois National Guard; John B. Washburn of Vnndnlia tn he colonel, Stephen A. I>. McWilliams of Cairo to be lieutenant colonel and Edward E. Elliott of Areola to be major. Honorable discharges from the njival militia have been given Seamen .Tomes H. Ovcrlan, John M. Hopper, William S. Bird, John E. Havard, Charles V. Brook­ ing, Charles W. Dell and Charles M. Far- nutu, all of the Fourth division, Second ©attalioo, located at Quincy. Friday in the House was spent in con­ sideration of the naval appropriation bill.. There was much filibustering and ouly four pages of the bill were gone over. Ad­ journed until'Saturday. The Senate was; not in session. The House spent Saturday in consider­ ation of the naval appropriation bill. A strong effort was made during the day to increase the appropriation for the na­ val reserves, but it failed. Another effort to have the government uniform the na­ val militia also failed. The main contest Of the day was over a proposition to de­ crease the number of timber dry docks au­ thorized by the bill from four to three. It led Air. Cannon, chairman of the Appro­ priations Committee, who made the mo­ tion, to discuss the Whole question of war preparations ahd to inveigh against undbe extravagance. He was voted down--78 to- 107. An amendment was adopted to per­ mit the Secretary of the Navy-to use any portion of Michigan's naval militia fund1 to repair the damage to the Yantic. A message from President MoKinley,. outlining the findings of the Maine board' of inquiry, was sent to the House on Mon­ day,. After being read it was promptly referred to the Committee on Foreign .Af­ fairs. Mr. Walker of Massachusetts an­ nounced the death of his colleague, Mr.. Simpkins, and moved that the House ad­ journ out of respect to his memory. This- was done, and Speaker Reed appointed four members of the Foreign Relations- Committee, to which the Maine/Report had been referred, to attend the funeral. In the Senate the President's message and the report of the board of inquiry were both read, after which the Senate adjourned. After passing a bill to pension the widow of Gen. John L. Stevenson at the- rate of $30 per month the House devoted the whole day Tuesday to the considera­ tion of the bill to pay certain claims for stores and supplies furnished the Union by loyal citizens of the South during the war. There was a bitter contest over a claim of $217,000 preferred by the heirs of the widow of Gen. Robert E. Lee. She inherited the claim from Mrs. Fitzhugb, her aunt, who, it was admitted, was loyal.. The claim was finally stricken out, but the House recessed' before the bill was passed. It provides for the payment of about 850 claims, aggregating about $1,- 200,000. At an evening session pension bills were passed. In the Senate, after the introduction of Cuban resolutions and a speech by Senator Mason, seventy-four private pension bills were passed. Then Mr. Tillman presented resolutions con­ cerning the death of the late Joseph A, Earle, Senator from South Carolina. Eulogies were delivered by Mr. MeLaurin, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Clay, Mr. Spooner, Mr. Chilton, Mr. Cannon. Mr. Kenney, Mr. McEnery and Mr. Tillman. a Wild and uproarious scene occurred in the House on Wednesday when Mr. Bailey, the Democratic leader, attempted to force the hand of the Republicans up­ on a proposition to overrule the Speaker and pass a resolution recognizing the in­ dependence of the Cuban republic. Mr. Bailey presented the resolution as a priv­ ileged qtfestHJnv; He was ruled out of order by the Speaker. An appeal from the decision of the chair was laid on the tabie. The House then went into com­ mittee of the whole and resumed consid­ eration of the naval appropriation bill. The Senate Committee on Foreign Rela­ tions has agreed to delay action oil all Cuban questions now in its possession un­ til after the President has had opportunity to conclude pending negotiations. The House on Thursday listened to speeches on the Cuban question. The three speeches which stirred the assem­ blage to its depths were made by Mr. Grosvenor of Ohio, who, it was assumed, spoke for the administration, and who practically pledged it to the cause of free Cuba; Mr. Bailey of Texas, the Demo­ cratic leader, who announced the Demo­ cratic position as.for free Cuba, without war if it could be avoided, but with war if necessary, and Mr. Johnson of Indiana, who spoke for peace, declaring that it was our duty to go to the extreme in mag­ nanimity in order to avoid the horrors of r. In the Senate Mr. Frye of Maine, Who reported from the Committee on For­ eign Relations a resolution calling .upon the President for the Cuban consular re­ ports, requested that the resolution lie on the table until such time as the commit­ tee desired to call it up. Mr. Chandler of New Hampshire objected to the making of any such contract as suggested. Mr. Frye then moveil that fM» resolution be recommitted to the Foreign Relations Committee. After a somewhat heated discussion the motion Was passed. News of Minor Note. Orin W. Breretou, aged 25 years and married, was killed by falling into a min­ ing shaft at Cripple Creek, Colo. Judge Canipboll of San Francisco has decided that a cat is not a domestic animal and cannot, therefore, be claimed as the property of any one. William Johnson of Claremore, I. T., shot and killed United States Marshal Ar­ nold and was himself killed by Deputy Busey, while resisting arrest. . Capt. Sobral. Spain's late naval attache at Washington, who has plans of the United States coast defenses, has been appointed on the staff of the admiralty. In accordance with the wishes of Farm­ er Appleby of Hempstead, N. Y., his widow caused his remains to be cremated and scattered the ashes over the fields. The winter's gold output of the Klon­ dike is estimated at $9,000,000, which wilt be sent down the Yukon by the first steamer after the opening of navigation. M iss M. C. Stone of Roxbury, Mass., has niade up her mind to possess some Klondike gold. Sfoe has arranged to go with a party of twenty-four men, and they expect to «tart about the middle of April in a schooner around the lioru. Provisions* for two years will be taken. There is a movement on foot to organ­ ize a stock company in Houston. Texas, for the purpose of making that place a to­ bacco market, to serve as an outlet for the heavy crops of that State. Three thou­ sand acres will be planted in Harris and the counties immediately surrounding Houston. There have been terrific storms through­ out the British Islands. Trains were im­ bedded in heavy snow drifts, telegraph wires were down, people were frozen to death while traversing tl#j moors, a hurri­ cane swept all the. coasts, producing tre­ mendous seas, and great less of shipping and, human life. The cattlemen of the lower and south­ western districts of Texas are experienc­ ing much trouble and loss of stock by dep­ redations of mountain lions, wolves and coyotes. The loss in the mountain dis­ tricts bordering on the Rio Grande rivet will reach an average of 25 per, cent Lambs, calves and colts fall a prey tc these voracious wild beasts.