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DIVORCE CASES IN l). S.
CHANGE POSTAL LAWS 1
Proposed to Eliminate Assistant
Postmaster General.
NEW OFFICE TO BE CREATED
Director of Posts to Handle Affniro cf
Postal Department it Low
is Pasted.
Washington, D. C—'The four ofllcrs
of assistant postmaster general will
bo abolished, a director of posts, with |
seven assistants, jirovidod for, and the
cntiie postal service of the United |
Stales, divided into fifteen separate
districts, if ihe bill providing for the j
revision of the postal laws which is j
being prepared by the joint postal In- j
vestIgation committee of congress, ap
pointed two years ago, is passed by j
congress.
li is claimed that a director of posts, i
appointed to hold office until remov-1
oil for cause, and who shall receive j
a high salary, will tend to improve j
the service through n continuity of
policies for the benefit of postal serv
ice. By providing for,seven assistants
to the director of posts, the members j
of the committee believe that the dls-f
advantages due to frequent changes
and the appointment of inexperienced
men to the four offices of assistant
postmaster general can be obviated.
These assistant directors nre, accord
ing to the provisions of the bill, also
to hold office during good behavior.
The postmaster general would con
tinue as tile executive head of the de
partment.
Much information was gathered by
the fctnamission last year in an effort
to find tome means of improving the
accounting system of the postal serv
ice. To perfect the system of man
agement, provision for fifteen super
intendents to have direct charge of
the fifteen separate postal districts,
which it is proposed to create, has
Ibron decided upon. According to the
hill, each separate dlstiict would in a
sense be a branch office of the post-
office department.
In addition to these eharg’os, many
of which have to be recommended by
Postmaster General Meyer, numerous
minor alterations in the postal laws
are included in tile bill. The commis
sion is composed of Senators Penrose,
Pennsylvania, chairman; Dolliver,
Iowa and Clay, Georgia, and Repre
sentatives Overstreet, Indiana; Gard
ner, New Jersey; and Moon, Tennes
see.
HORROR “wars jubilee.
Many Trampled at Diamond Fets of
Emperor of Austria.
Vienna, Austria.—In honor of Em
peror Francis Joseph's diamond Jubi
lee. the city was illuminated on a
scale of unprecedented brilliancy. The
cathedral and city hall and all the
public buildings were outlined in elec
tric light and the effect was enhanced
by powerful searchlights playing from
high towers.
The pressure of the enormous
crowds in the streets caused several
serious accidents. Four persons were
killed, forty seriously injured and
more than a hundred others slightly
hurt.
At one time a panic ensued direct
ly in front of the Hofburg, where the
crowds converged from three direc
tions. Hundreds were trampled to
the ground, and it is estimated that
there were fully 1,600,000 people in
the streets. It is believed that in ad
dition to the official list of killed and
injured many others were injured, but
were able to reach their homes.
Three thousand four hundred peo
ple in all classes will receive titles,
decorations and promotions in honor
of the Jubilee.
CENSUS TAKING EXPENSIVE.
It Will Cost Nearly Thirteen Millions
to Count People in United States.
Washington, D. C.—The cost uf tak
ing tlie next census, as estimated by
Director North, will be $12,930,000.
The director says that this is but
9410,000 more than the cost of the
census of 1900, and says that this will
be accomplished “in spite of the enor
mous growth in the population during
the last decade, a growth largely con
tributed by foreign-born people, who
do not speak English, a class which
it is very expensive and v«ry diffi
cult to enumerate. If the work can
be done for this sum it will be the
first time in the history of the nation
that a census has ben taken and
compiled at practically the same cost
as the prior enumeration.”
Notwithstanding the congressional
requirement that appointments be
made on the basis of non-competitive
examinations the director says that
personal and polilical pressure must
in the end become the determining
factor. He favors the appointment of
clerks on the basis of their standing
on the list of eliglblcs.
DIVORCE CASES IN U. S.
Amsrica Shows Mare Separation* then
any Other Cou.itrjr.
Manila, Philippine Islands.—With
tho departure from Manila of the
American battleship fleet under tho
command of Rear Admiral Sperry, me
sixteen vessels tlint are making such
a remarkable round-the-world voyage
turned their prows definitely for the
home waters. They have been gone
JAPAN AND U. S. AGREE
Notes are Exchanged Regarding
Policies in Far East.
DEVELOPMENT OF PACIFIC
I* the Aim of Both Nalion»---Other Pow
er* not Sure of the Real Meaning of
the Exchange of Note*.
from Hampton Ronds nearly a year.
If tho record established up to tho
present time is maintained, the fleet
will relurn home without uorious ac
cident or mishap of any kind. Its
progress has been watched by for- j
eign governments with deep interest.
The-Vifficers and men of llie fleet on
this itafp around the world have been j
lavishly entertained at every port j
they touched. In Austinlian waters
the Americans wore greted by men
of (heir own race; in Japan and in
Chitia they saw tlie splendors of the
Orient; and in the Mediterranean,
southern Europe will turn out to do
them'iA»gnor.
Artec clearing Manila bay the six
teen Dalileshlps headed for Colombo,
Ceyloflw^vhere they. are due in two
weeks;,-' They, will slay there for six
du\s and then proceed to Suez without
stopping. They nre due at tlie noUtIt
em entrance of the Suez Canal Jan
uary 5;'lift'd, after the leaving of Port
Said, at the northern entrance, where
coal ls.tq.be taken on board, the ves
sels will divide into squadrons and 1
make a series of calls at various Med
iterranean ports. In tills manner the
American ships will slrow at Athens,
Tripoli, Ville Franche, Marseilles, Ge
noa, Leghorn, Malta, Naples and Al
giers. According to the present
schedule tlie entire fleet will leave Gi
braltar on February 6 for either
Hamilton Roads or New York.
The vessels are due in Hampton'
Roads or New York, February 22.
When the fleet reaches the United i
States, it will have traversed, since it!
left Hampton Roads, 42,227 miles.
PAIL REVERED RIDE.
Letter Published to Show That the
Trip Was Never Made.
New York City.—Walter Benjamin,
a publisher, has a document which
ho believes proves that Paul Revere
never made the midnight right attrib
uted to him by Longfellow and tradi
tion.
The publication of Mr. Benjamin is
a letter from John Hancock to El- j
bridge Gerry, dated Lexington, April I
13, 1775, at 9 o’clock. This was the
night before the baltle and three
hours before Revere, according to
Longfellow, “crossed the bridge into
Medford town.” The letter reads:
“Dear Sir; I am much obliged for
your notice. It is said the officers
are gone along the Concord road and
I will send word thither. I am fully
agreed with you that we ought to he
serious, and 1 hope your decision will
he effectual. I intend doing myself
the pleasure of being with you tomor
row. My re&pects to the committee.
I am, Your friend,
“JOHN HANCOCK."
Mr. Benjamin says if Hancock of
the committee of safety knew at 9
o’clock troops had gone along the Con
cord road, Lexington and Concord
were fully aroused to the danger of
the coming British troops, and there
would have been no need for Paul Re-
vete to send
“Through the night his cry of alarm
To every Middlesex village and
farm.”
SECRETARY STRAUS TO PRESIDE.
Judge George Hillyer Will Later Per
form Same Duty.
Montgomery, Ala.—It is announced
that Secretary of Commerce and La
bor Straus will preside over the
Southern Comemrcial Congress at.
Washington, December 7 anil 8.
Others to perform the same duty
later are Philip Werline, president of
the Progressive Union, New Orleans;
J. E. Smith, president Business Men’s
league, St. Louis; C. H. Davis, cham
ber of commerce, Petersburg, Va. ;
Judge .George Hillyer of Atlanta.
3,000 People Homeless.
Guthrie, Okla.—As a result of a 48-
hour downpour in the valley of the
Cottonwood river and its tributaries,
the Cottonwood has overflo.Wed its
banks, and many homes are under wa
ter, and 3,000 people are homeless.
The river was one foot higher than
ever before in its history.
Fatal Rear-End Collision.
Birmingham, Ala.—J. N. Gaston, a
conductor, was killed and three others
injured in a collision on the Southern
railway, forty miles west of Birming
ham. The rear engine struck the ca
boose of the forward train ami both
engine and caboose rolled down the
high embankment.
Washington, D. C.—(Secretary of
State Ellhu Roof, on behalf of the
United States, and Kogoro Takahlrn,
ambassador, on behalf of Japan,‘ex
changed diplomatic notes defining the
policies of tho two governments in
the Far East. The actual ceremony
of exchange was very brief, Secretary
Root handing the ambassador a note
which bore his signature, and the
ambassador giving to Mr. Root a pa
per defining Japan’s policy and bear
ing his signature. Assistant Secre
tary Baron, Second Secretary of Em
bassy Masanao Hanlhara and Mr.
Babcock, Mr. Root’s private secretary,,
were witnesses to the transaction af
ter an informal exchange of felicita
tions, the ambassador and his secre
tary left the state department, the
former with a smile on his face, in
dicating his great satisfaction over
the conclusion of (lie exchange.
The exchange of notes is based on
the idea of encouraging and defend
ing fro\A hiid peaceful commercial de
velopment in the Pacific, and to this
end (ho signatory parties have pre
pared a series of articles expressive
of their intention in the matter. Leg
islative action by the senate is unnec
essary and the declaration or ex
change of notes will not have to he
referred to that body. The declara
tion is not a treaty, simply a reaffirm
ation of what both Japan and the
United States have stood for in China
and the Far East generally. It has
no legnl standing, but its greatest
benefit will be that derived from the
moral effect it will exercise in the fu
ture diplomatcy governing the Far
East. In this respect, it has been lik
ened to the Monroe doctrine in Amer
ican history.
It was pointed out as rather a sin
gular coincidence that the exchange
of notes with Japan regarding China
should occur the same day ns that on
which Tang Sliao Y1 has come to
thank the American government for
the remission of the Boxer indemnity.
As apart from the reiteration of the
attitude of the two governments in
terested on the subject of China, the
exchange of tho notes is very timely
and useful, according to the state de
partment. Newspaper publications
abroad, while expressing generally a
favorable degree of satisfaction ovet
tho step taken by Japan and the Unit
ed States, at the same time show that
there is still some misconception of
the real attitude of the two coun
tries.
93 KENTUCKY COUNT IES DRY.
Twenty-One Partly “Dry" and Four
Entirely "Wet."
Louisville, Ky.—Ninety-three of Ken
tucky’s 119 counties are now totally
“dry,” twenty-one are partially dry
and four are wholly wet, and the case
of one county, which recently voted
as a unit on prohibition, is being set
tled by legal process in court. This
is the substance of a statement secur
ed by a local newspaper from the Ken
tucky anti-saloon league.
During the past year the fight has
been quietly but vigorously waged, and
over twenty counties have gone over
to the cause of prohibition. The four
counties which aro entirely wet are
Jefferson (Louisville), Kenton, Camp
bell and Nelson. The local option
election recently held In Scott is be
ing contested in court. The anti-sa
loon league leaders are claiming that
already Kentucky, the home of the dis
tillery, drinks less whiskey than three-
fourths of the states in the union.
liERMANY WAS SOUNDED.
America Knew Her Attitude ori the
Japanese Agreement.
Berlin, Germany.—The state de
partment at Washington sounded the
German foreign office in advance con
cerning the Japanese-American agree
ment for the maintenance of the in
tegrity of China and of the status quo
in the price and was informed that it
would be received here with the full
est approval, being in the interest of
Germany as well as the powers par
ticipating in it. Germany’s policy in
the Far East is identical with that
of tho United States, and it is one
part of the world where the two gov
ernments have pronounced mutual
concerns.
The foreign office considers the
agreement a high achievement in the
statesmanship of both the United
States and Japan and that it was
conceived and executed on a large
scale of liberality and good will.
America Show* More Separation* Than
Any Other Country
Washington, D. C.—Tho divorce rate
appears to he much higher in the
United States than in any of the for
eign countries for which statistics re
lating to the subject have been ob
tained, not less than one marriage in
twelve in this country ultimately ter
minating in divorce. This fact has
been ascertained by the census which
lias Just ccmrleted a compilation of
statistics of marriage and divorce cov
ering tlie twenty years from 1887 to
1906, inclusive. Similar statistics for
the previous twenty years were gath
ered some years ago.
The figures show that at the end of
the forty-year period divorces wore
I net-easing about three times ns fast
as tho population, while In the first
decade of the period they increased
only about two and two-thirds as fast.
In the six years from 1900 to 1906,
population increased 10 per cent and
divorces 29.3 pqr cent. The divorce
rate increased per >100,000 of popula
tion from 29 in 1870 to 82 in 1905 ;
there being one divorce for every 3,-
4il persons in tho former years, while
in the latter there was one for every
11.218 persons.
During the twenty years from 1887
to 1906 the total number of recorded
marriages was 12,832,044, while the
number of divorces granted during
(Ills period was 945,625, For tho pre
vious twenty years the number of di
vorces was 328.716. At (lie beginning
of the forty-years period divorces oc
curred at the rate of 10,000 a year,
while at the eml of the period the an-
nual number was about 66,000.
A more significant divorce rale is
tliat which Is based, not on total pop
ulation, but on tho total married pop
ulation, since it is only married peo
ple who can become divorced. These
statistics show that in 1870 the di
vorce rnte per 600.000 married pop
ulation was 81. while in 1900 it was
200. Tills shows that divorce is at
present two and a half times as com
mon. compared with the married pop
ulation, as it was forty years ago.
The nverage duration of marriage,
terminated by divorce is about ten
years, 60 per cent of them being less
than ten years. The number of years
from marriage to separation was as
certained in the oases of 770,929 di
vorced couples. Of these 98,460, or
12.8 per cent, separated in the first
year of married life, and 14.2 per cent
in the second year. The surprising
fact that was revealed that 3.1 per
cent of tho total number separated
and became divorced after more than
25 years of married life.
Children were reported In 38.9 per
cent of the total, number of divorced
cases, children being p-erent in 46.S
per cent of the case« granted to tho
wife and in 2C i<er cent of those grant
ed to the husband
Alimony was demanded in 18 per
cent of the divorces granted to the
wife and granted in 12.7 per cent. The
proportion of husbands who asked for
ulimony was 2.8 per cent
$16,975,222 POSTAL DEFICIT.
Biggest Shortage in History of the
Department.
Washington, D. C.—In his annual re
port for the fiscal year ended June
30, 1908, Postmaster General Meyer
gives the total leceipts for the year
as $203,361,886, thereby showing a de
ficit of $16,975,222, the largest in the
history of the department, with an ad
dition loss from fire, burglary, etc., of
$37,C5G. The deficit of 1909. it is
estimated again, will exceed $16,000,-
000.
Attention Is particularly called to a
number of improvements in business
methods of the department as tending
to its advantage and the saving of con
siderable amounts. Recommendation
is again made for tlie creation of the
position of director of posts, at a high
salary, and who shall hold office dur
ing good behavior, the object being to
have a continuity of policies for the
benefit of the postal service and the
people of the United States.
The necessity for good roads is
pointed out in connection with the de
velopment of the rural free delivery
service. It is suggested that should
congress grant the department author
ity to utilize rural routes still further
by the enlistment of a limited parcel
post confined entirely to rural delivery
routes, it would then be possible to
earn additional revenue amounting to
millions of dollars and at the same
time benefit the farmer by enabling
him to have merchandise delivered
when ordered by telephone or postal
card, which otherwsie would not. be
purchased. “The special parcel post,’’
says the postmaster general, “will en
able the farmers to have small par
cels delivered at their gates, to live
better and to obtain easily the neces
saries of life.” Permission is request
ed to establish experimentally a lim
ited parcel post in not to exceed four
countries in order to demonstrate the
practicability of the plan.
RICH PURSE FOR PREACHER.
040,000 Given Rector of Grace Church,
New York, by Congregation.
New York City.—When the Rev.
Dr. William R. Huntington, rector of
Grace Church, this city, sat down to
his breakfast, one morning recently,
he found under his plate a check for
more than $40,000. This sum was
voluntarily contributed by members
of his congregation as a token of their
esteem for his long, faithful service.
>Dr. Huntington recently celebrated
hiB seventieth birthday, and for 25
years has been pastor of Grace
Church. He thought at the time that
he would resign, but, Instead of ac
cepting the resignation, he was urged
to remain.
NEW COUNTERFEIT BILL
Of $5 Denomination—Bankers Warn
Their Customers.
Birmingham, Ala.—The discovery
of a $5 silver certificate in Birming
ham led the banks to issue warnings
to their customers, the belief being
that a number are in circulation. The
Indian head on the counterfeit is im
perfect and “Washington, D. C.,” in
stead of being printed in a straight
lino, is slightly curved. Otherwise the
will is an excellent imitation of the
genuine.
Pope Plus Very III.
Rome, Italy.—All audiences at the
Vatican are suspended indefinitely ow
ing to a slight change for the worse
in the pope’s condition. He is worse
and fever has developed, which
obliges the pontiff to remain in bed.
Physicians declare his condition is
not serious, but the public is becom
ing apprehensive.
Rebels at Haiti Capital.
Washington, D. C.—Dispatches re
ceived at the state department indi
cate the revolutionists under Auguste
Simon are drawing close to the Hait
ian capital and the government of
Nord Alexis and city of Port-Au-Prince
will probably fall.
Invention to Propel Airships.
Denver, Col.—Thomas H. Cates, in
ventor of a submarine boat, has an
nounced the perfection of a tubular
double propellor operated by an elec
tric motor for an airship. He claims
it solves the aerial problem, furnish
ing both lifting and propelling pow
er. Eight six-foot tubes, with a dift-
ing capacity of 2,400 pounds, will be
built with a total weight of 1.500
pounds. The propeller acts much as
steamer screws, drawing in the air
and driving it away beneath.
THAT STANDARD OIL FINE.
Government Asks Supreme Court for
Writ of Certiorari.
Washington, D. C.—Attorney Gene
ral Bonaparte formally submitted to
the supreme court of the United
States his petition for a writ of cer
tiorari to the circuit court of appeals
for the seventh circuit ordering up for
review the judgment of that court
reversing tlie rulings of Judge Landis
in the rebate case against the Stand
ard Oil Company, iv which the com
pany was fined $29,000,000.
The effect of granting the petition
will be to postpone until after the
holidays the court’s decision as to
whether the case should be reviewed
by the supreme court.
LOAN COMPANY FAILS.
Receiver Named for Equitable Bank
and Loan Company of Macon.
Macon, Ga.—'The Equitable Bank
and I.,oan Company closed its doors
and on the petition of its directors,
was placed in the hands of R. L. An
derson, receiver, by Judge Felton of
Bibb superior court. The liabilities
are about $110,000; the assets from
$60,000 to $70,000.
The company was not strictly a
hanking institution, hut was a build
ing and loan association.
Estimated Cotton Crop.
New Orleans, La.—The Timhs-Dem-
ocrat s estimate on the cotton crop of
1908 is 12,800,000 bales:
Alabama 1,200,000
Arkansas ..... 900,000
Georgia and Florida. 6,900,000
Louisiana 500,000
Oklahoma 750,000
Mississippi ..... 1,500,000
North Carolina . . . 675,000
South Carolina. . . 1,150,000
Tennessee 400,000
Texas . 3,825,000
Total 12,800,000
These figures relate to the actual
growth, and are exclusive of linters,
repacks and similar additions.
Suffocated In Salt Mine.
Detroit, Mich.—Six men were suf
focated in the village of Oakwood.
They were at work in a shaft being
sunk for a salt mine, when the can
vas tube, which supplied them with
air, became clogged, and the shaft
filled with gas. In some unexplained
manner, this tube either became tan
gled or clogged at 20u feet down from
the surface. With the air supply shut
off, the shaft rapidly filled with gas,
and the men were suffocated.
138 HILLED IN MINE
LATE NEWS NOTES.
General.
Gas in Pennsylvania Coal
Pit Exploded
BODIES NOT¥f RECOVERED
Force of the Explotion Filled the Mine
With Muck and Debri* Making Rti*
cue Work Very Difficult.
Pittsburg, Pa—The last ray of hope
for the rescue of any one of the 138
or more miners who were entombed
b" an explosion at. tho Marianna
mines of the Pittsburg-Buftalo Coar
Company was dispelled when the first
rescuing party reached the workings
and found the dead bodies scattered
about the floor of tho mine.
Few, if any, of the bodies are mu-
turned, and the men wen) undoubted
ly smothered by the deadly vapors
v/bicli followed tlie explosion. All •
b it two of the bodies n tho mine, it
is said, are those of foreigners.
Tlie workings In whlcn tho catas
trophe happened is know.: as tlie Ra
chel and and Agnes mines, i.: ie.li
lt y a double mine, with uulorgtound
connections.
Const ruction work v.-^ 8 practiully
finished, and Deputy State Mine In
spector Henry Louttitt a few minutes
hi Tore the explosion, hal coinpleu J
a tho days’ inspection, whie.i had re
vealed no cause for approaensjon.
.Mine Foreman Henry Thompson and
two miners entered the cage, and it
was started towards tno bottom of
the 600-foot shaft. There was a trem
bling of the ground, iuund about the
mouth of tlie shaft as from an earth
quake, and an instant inter there was
a terrific report, and the cage was
hurled up the .shaft and through the
roof of the shaft house, the mine fore
man and the. >wo ir.ca still in it. Tlie
bodies of the men were hurled right
through tlie toil of ihe building and
far beyond it. Thompson was dead
when picked up, while tho others, al
though mortally injured, were hurried
to a hospital.
Shattered portion., of (he woodwork
about (tie mouth of the shaft were
blown into Ten-Mile Creek, 2,060 feet
from the shaft, Portions of at least
two other bodies were blown from the
shaft und were found In tlie field
nearby. The ventilating funs were-
put out of commission by tho explos
ion, and for several hours no air could
be forced into the mines. Immediate
ly following tho explosion a dense vol
ume of smoke issued Trom the shafts,
Rescue work wr.;, immediately start
ed, but it was impossible to gain
entrance to the mine for a long time.
The opening up of the shaft was tho
only solution, und for this task there
were volunteers in numbers.
Relief parlies on special trains from
this city carried the chief officers of
the company apd mining experts from
tho United States laboratory and test
ing station, recently established here,
who took with them a>l <jf the latest
appliances and devices far rescue
work.
(Several experienced miners de
scended the steps inside the shaft,
and succeeded in reaching tho bot
tom. Here they found further prog
ress hnrred, hecause the latter head
ing from the bottom of the shaft into
the mine proper was choked with
muck and debris
The "largest petiole force was at
once put to work to open this passage.
There was, however, practically no
hope fom the first of those entombed
men being taken out alive, but this
did not deter the most strenuous ef
forts to hurry the opening of tho
mine.
The noise of the explosion was an
ominous sound to all the people of
the little town, and they hurried to
the scene, each seeking a loved one,
and most of them, leading that a
loved one was down in the workings,
was in all probability dead or dying.
The scenes were pitiful. Many of tho
women were hysterical, and their
shrieks and cries were heart-rending.
Others were silent, in their grief, but
in their drawn faces couid be read tho
awful agony they were enduring.
The cause of the explosion lias not
been determined. Two theories are
entertained; one is that c. pocket of
gas was si ruck by one of the miners,
quickly filling the workings and then
igniting from a lamp; the other theory
is that, gas from a well on tne Fulton
farm, under which the mine is locat
ed, penetrated the workings. The
land in the vicinity is said to be gas
eous, and it is possible that gas may
have seeped through the coal stratum
until it accumulated in sufficient vol
ume to cause the diaster.
Marianna, the scene of the dis
aster, is a new mining town in Wash
ington county, Pennsylvania, forty
miles south of this city. It was laiil
out and built up by the Pittsburg-Buf-
falo Coal Company, with a view to
making it a model town in every re
spect*
In a sensational colloquy in the
English house of commons Premier
Asquith declared the British naval
plans, which provide for an increase
of the navy so that It may exceed by
1 per cent the combined strength of
any two nations, to mean “Any two.
powers wherever situated.” Badgered
to declare whether this meant includ
ing tlie United States, he repeated the
original answer and declined to state.
The men responsible for .bribery
and corruption in San Francisco and
not their tools will suffer, ii Francis
J. Henry has his way. He is so far
recovered from his wounds that he
has outlined the future action of the
district attorney. He emphatically
declared his life work would be car
ried to completion.
rounding up of a gang ,of alleged coun
terfeiters that has ,Jbeeu flooding Chi
cago with bogus five dollar bills s'x
young women aro already under ar
rest. ,. V>M '.
Laing Ching* Kwal; spaciul Chinese
commissioner of edi)80*100 to 'Amerl-
cti, was robbed of Valuable papers
Including his passport, at the Slier’
man house in .Chicago. Tlie robbery
occurred while the distinguished Gu.
itor was dining at a Chinese restdu-
rant near by.
Having a horror of mice since ear-
Iv childhood, Miss Mary Isabel Mead
of Florence. N. J„ died of fright when
a mouse, pursued by the family cat
darted across the kitchen floor in her
home. Miss Mead was well known
socially.
Joseph Orscher, aged 48, a brlcklav-
or, repairing lho masonry of a build-
ing In Now York City, fell from the
scaffold, sixty feet, to the pavement
A doctor was summoned, and was a
tonished to find that Orschor’s only
injury wus apparently a dislocated
shoulder. He is apparently all right.
The week, December 7-12, is unique
in the history of the country. During
that week will meet in Washington
the governors of all the states ami
their advisers, as the National Conser
vative commission, to list the resourc.
es of I he United Slates; the Southern
Commercial congress, to interpret by
tho voice of authority, the resources
and possibilities of the south; the
National Rivers and Harbors congress
to work for a coherent policy in tho
development of the great natural lines
of transportation; the National Coun
cil of Commerce, to consider the im
portant features of commercial rela
tions at home and abroad; the Com
mission on Country Life, to consider
rural sonditions in every respect.
Washington
Honorable Gifford Plnchot, presi
dent of tho National Conservative
commission, and chief forester of the
United States, will address the South
ern Commercial congress on Monday
night, December 7, on the “Commer
cial .Meaning of the Appalachain
Range.” In addition to this speech,
there will be an elaborate display of
chart:!, diagrams, maps, etc., by lan
tern and otherwise.
Contracts for about 10,000 tons nf
steel armor for the battleships Florida
and Utah have been awarded by the
secretary of tlie navy. Tlie Bethlehem,
Carnegie and Midvale companies were
each given a contract for about one-
third of the armour.
In a quiet and simple manner, trib
ute has been paid at the Chinese le
gation to the memory of the deceas
ed emperor and empress dowager of
China. Praotically all the members
of tho diplomatic corps, Vice Presi
dent Fairbanks, several members of
the supreme court and assistant sec
retaries of the various executive de
partments attended. President Roose
velt sent one of his military aides.
Colonel Charles S. Bromwfll, who left
the president’s card and those of Hie
secretary to the president, and of Cap
tain Archibald Butt, another military
aide. Secretary Root was suffering
from an indisposition and sent a mes
sage of sympathy through Hunington
Wilson, assistant secretary of slate,
as did also Admiral Dewey through an
aide.
Admiral Sperry cabled the navy de
partment that he would allow (ha
men of tlie Atlantic fleet shore leave
at Manila and permit them to partic
ipate in a parade and various festiv
ities arranged in their honor. He rays
a few existing cases of cholera In the
Philippine.capital are isolated as not
to be a menace to the health of tho
fleet.
Major General John F. Weston, now
in command of the Philippine forces,
has been assigned to command llie de
partment of California, with headquar
ters at Sail Francisco, vice Brigadier
General Fred A. Smith, who will lie
assigned to other duties. Major Gen
eral W. P. Duvall will succeed to the
Philippine command.
MANY CHINAMEN ESCAPE.
Twenty-One Held for Deportation
Make Their Escape.
San Francisco, Cal.—Twenty-one
out of the 116 Chinese held at the
Pacific mail dock pending the decis
ion cf the immigration officers as to
whether or not they were entitled to
enter the United States, escaped from
the detention sheds at Second and
Brannan streets. Four of them were
recaptured in Chinatown and returned
to the shed and a vigorous search is
being made for others.
The Orientals, cutting the heavy
wire netting over one of the windows,
sawed through iron bars and slid
down a water pipe.
“NIGHT RIDERS” INDICTED
Nineteen Persnos Held for Murder of
Captain Rankin.
Union City, Tenn.—Nineteen indict
ments charging implication in the
lynching of Captain Quentin Rankin,
who was hanged and shot to death
at Walnut Log a month ago by a
band of “night riders,” were returned
by the grand jury, which, immediately
following iho killing of Captain Ran
kin, began an investigation of the
night rider raids in Reel foot Lake
district in Tennssee.
American Minister Rockhill, at Po-
lHn, cabled the state department say
ing that the Chinese government Is
anxious for a postponement of tho
meeting of the International opium
commission at Shanghai, from Janu
ary 1 to February 1. The Chinese aro
not yet ready fcfr the meeting. There
will be no objetcion to the request on
tho part of this government.
When Secretary Strauss of tho de
partment of commerce and labor was
asked if he contemplated “a shake-
up” among the officials of Hie immi
gration service at New York, lie re
plied that an improvement of tlie ser
vice ,was in contemplation. “Public
office is not a private franchise, as I
myself will soon learn,” said the sec
retary.
President Roosevelt received at f, ie
white house, from the hands of Gor
don Leech, the last boy runner in the
relay run from New York to \l ash-
ington, the silver tube containing :l
message to the president from Rich
ard C, Morse, of the International
Young Men’s Christian association.
Secretary Straus of the department
oi commerce and labor lias developei
a comprehensive plan for aiding ’ 11
unemplowed of the country. This l ,llU
lie. will announce and explain in ’’
annual report, to be made public in
few days.