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FIRE DESTROYS
AUDITORIUM
Meeting Place For Democratic
Convention Reduced to Ashes.
WILL BE REBUILT AT ONCE.
Sul>scriptions Taken While Hall
Was Burning—Adjacent Prop
erty Also Annihilated.
Convention ball,KaunasOitj’ pride,
wherein the Democratic national con
vention was to have been held on July
4lb, was laid in ruins in less tban
thirty minutes’ time Wednesday after
noon, from the time that it started,
from an unknown souroo at 1 o’clock.
The fire burned with such fury that
it was evident almost from tho start
that the structure was doomed, and
the firemen soon turnod their atten
tion to saving surrounding property.
A stiff breeze was blowing and be
fore the lire was subdued at 2:15
o’clock the Second Presbyterian
church, one of the finest edifices in
the city; the church parsonage, the
L&throp public school, a two story,
thirteen-room building, all situated
across tho way on Central street, and
a half block of three story flat build
ings on Twelfth street, were rendered
a total loss.
Several residences were damaged to
a greater or less degree, and for a
time it was feared that several blocks
of buildings in the residence district
would go.
The aggregate loss is $400,000, ap
portioned as follows:
Convention hall, $205,000, insur
ance $155,000; church, $50,000, in
sured; parsonage, $15,000, insured;
school, $35,000, insurance $20,400;
Williamson block, Twelfth street,
SOO,OOO, insurance $45,000.
Plans are on foot to rebuild Con
vention hall immediately, and make it
ready for the Democratic National
Convention in July. While the fire
was still in progress members of the
Commercial club, through whose ef
forts the hall was conceived and built,
mingled in the crowd of spectators
and began soliciting funds for anew
structure.
During the eveuing $25,000 bad
been subscribed, and Secretary Clen
denning of the club, called a mass
meeting of citizens to devise w ays and
means of raisiiig an additional $50,-
000. The hall association has SIO,OOO
in the bauk and will iiave the $155,000
insurance for immediate use, the in
surance companies having spoutan
laueously agreed to waive the sixty
days’ limit and make settlement on do
maml.
The Kansas City Lumber Company,
who furnished four-fifths of tl e lum
ber for the old building, has agreed to
duplicate their order at once at the
rate in existence two years ago, and
the Minneapolis firm that furnished
tho steel girders for the immense roof
has been telegraphed to duplicate their
order.
\ strong wind carried the tiaraes to
the Second Presbyterian church on j
the opposite side of tHe street, and in !
forty minutes that structure, occupy
ing a half block iu length, was in ruins. •
The parsonage adjoining and next to ]
the Lathrop school, which was par
tially destroyed iu the cyclone of 1888,
and which has been set aside for the
use of the newspaper correspondents
during the coming convention, were
attacked simultaneously, and soon;
nothing but their walls were left i
standing.
Convention ball had been classed by
travelers as one of the largest and i
most peifeetly constructed auditori- j
ums iu the world. The building was
erected in JB9B at a cost of $235,000, !
which was raised entirely by public
subscription. It. occupied a piece of j
ground 014x120 feet in extent. The I
total seating capacity of the building
was nearly 20,000, aud with standing!
room the building was capable of hold- [
iug more than 22,000 people.
Practically nothing remains intact '
of Convention uall save the Thirteenth j
street wall and the foundation. The
straggling side walls will have to be
tern down.
HAY ST It ROUND ROBERTS.
Slum hip Credited Willi C'nriniitntiiig a
Ituri iik Sfheme.
A London dispatch says: It looks
now as though the Boers had con
ceived the audacious plan of attempt
ing to invest Lord Roberts at Bloem
fontein, or at least to endeavor to de
lay his northward advance by harass
ing the British iiues of communication.
Receiver For Water Cos in pain.
The Southern Loau and Trust com
pany has been appointed receiver of
the Greensboro, N. 0 , Water Supply
company, upon the application of
Gonell vs Water Supply company.
WALES HAD NARROW ESCAPE.
Yonug Anarchist Fires Two Shots
at His “Royal Nibs” In
Brussels, Belgium.
A sensational attempt to assassinato
the Prince of Wales was made at a
railroad station in Brussels, Belgium,
Wednesday, by Sipido, a young an
archist, who fired two shots, bu* the
prince escaped unharmed. The would
be assassin was immediately arrested.
The train bearing the prince was
just pulling out of the Northern rail
way station at 3:35 p. m. when Sipido
jumped upon the foot board of the
prince’s saloon car, aimed his revolver
at his r.iyal highness and fired twice.
Hearing the shots the station mas
ter rushed to the scene and knocked
down Sipido’s arm as the latter at
tempted to fire the third Bhot, while
bystanders rushed up and threw
themselves on the prince’s assailant.
In the confusion, another man, who
was innocent, was seized, roughly
handled and beaten.
luteuse excitement prevailed for the
moment, as it was feared the prince
had been hit, tho shots having been
fired almost point blank. The railway
carriage door was hastily thrown open,
and great relief was felt when the
prince himself appeared at the window
unhurt.
Both the prince and princess, how
ever, had a very narrow escape. The
policeman on duty took Sipido in
charge. The latter appeared proud
of his exploit and seemod quite calm.
Sipido told the authorities that he
lived on the Hue de Ja Forge, at Saint
Gilles, two miles south of Brussels.
After the prince of Wales had ascer
tained that the man who tired the shots
lia - l been arrested, he declared him
self and the princess uninjured, and
the train immediately started.
An eye witness says that the train
was already in motion, and when the
engineer heard the pistol he shut off'
steam, applied tho brakes aud stopped
the train. As the train restarted, after
Sipido’s arrest, the public loudly
cheered the prince, who acknowledged
the demonstration from the car win
dow.
The prince appeared quite unaffect
ed by the incident. He asked whether
the revolver was loaded, and on being
informed in tho affirmative, smiled
and begged that the culprit might not
be treated too severely.
When examined by station officials,
Sipido declared he intended to kill the
prince of Wales; that he did not regret
his action and that he was ready to do
it again if given a chance to do so.
Subsequently he declared he wanted
to kill the prince “because ho caused
thousands of men to be slaughtered in
South Africa.”
The would-be assassin is a tinsmith,
a resident of Brussels, sixteen years of
age. His pockets were found to bo
full of anarchist literature.
At the examination before the mag
istrate it was ascertained that he bad
purchased a peuuy ticket iu order to
reach the departure platform, where he
walked up aud down quite a while
during the time the piince was prome
nading.
An examination of Sipido’s revolver
showed that four chambers had been
discharged but that two of the car
tridges had missed lire. The weapon
is of the cheapest six-chambered de
scription.
EXPERTS SHOW SHORTAGE.
ICi'Kiilt of KxamltiHtion of the Hooks of
Athens Kxcliriikc Hank.
The report on the affairs of the late
Exchange bank of Athens, Ga., has
been rendered by the experts.
Errors amounting to 811,130.56 were
discovered, from which was deducted
$13.46 as attaching to the footings of
balances.
Mr. Benedict, the cashier of the Ex
change bank, was bonded by the
American Surety company of New
York aud the Fidelity aud Casualty
company of New York to the sum of
$15,000.
The receiver, Mr. A. S. Parker, will
demand the sum of $11,087.10 from
the above companies immediately.
A Gigantic Mortgage.
A mortage for $20,000,000 was filed
at the auditor’s office in New- York
Wednesday by attorneys representing
a 50-year loan at per cent for that
amount made for the Farmers’ Loan
aud Trust Company as trustees to the
Western Union Telegraph Company.
Bonds for $20,000,000 will be issued.
STEVENS MAKES FINAL APPEAL.
Th* Cultnn Acrvitgo In lieorgiii Will Be
Known This Month.
In his April talk to the farmers of
Georgia, which w as issued Wednesday
from the state department of agri
culture, C.miuissiouer O. B. Stevens
calls attention to the fact that the
preseut month will determine the cot
, ton acreage of the year and as com
missioner makes a final appeal to the
growers of the state to see that too
much cotton is not planted.
Before the end of the month a fair
estimate of Georgia’s contribution to
the cotton crop of the world can be
made.
MAKES MANY LAUGH
Dewey’s Announcement the Incen
tive for Much Merriment.
ADMIRAL IS IN EARNEST, HOWEVER.
.Speculation I* Uifc Among Politicians In
Washington anti the People Generally
as to Putnre Developments.
A Washington special says: Admi
ral Dewey has succeeded in making
himself a political sensation for one
day in his life, at least. His remark
able declaration that he would like to
become a candidate for the presiden
cy is the sole topic of talk in political
circles at present and it Is not exag
geration to say that the bulk of the
talk has not been complimentary to
the admiral’s good sense.
When the interview with him was
first read the general disposition on
the part of everybody was to doubt its
authenticity. Later, however, when
it became known that the statements
which he was quoted as having made
were in good faith, that he actually
aspires to election to the presidency,
and further, that he believes there is
a chance for success on thjit line,
Washington proceeded to indulge in a
laugh.
Dewey, however, takes this an
nouncement of presidential candidacy
in earnest. When he came back from
Manila to receive the plaudits of the
American people, his first step was to
declare that he had nor political am
bitions whatever; that he was not look
ing towards the presidency as had
been suggested in some of the news
papers; that his life had been spent in
the navy and that the unexpected
honors which had been thrust upon
him of elevation to the highest rank in
the navy was more than his ambition
had ever pictured for himself.
That statement was not only good
taste, but good seuse. Since then,
however, the admiral has had a num
ber of experiences which seem to have
turned his head. The curiosity of the
American people to see him and heart
iness of welcome which has been ex
tended him in different places has by
some freak of the imagination been
misconstrued by him into a political
uprising in his behalf.
A number of people ho have ex
pressed dissatisfaction w lf h either Mc-
Kinley or Bryan or both, have written
him throwing out presidential sugges
tions and giving him encouragement.
So far as can be learned nobody
was aware of Dewey’s intention and
the first that even his closest friends
knew of it was the announcement
given out through the New York
World. The admiral has explained
that his reason for giving it to The
World lay primarily iu the fact that
that paper was perhaps the first to
mention him in connection with the
office when he came houi9 from Ma
nila.
There was a disposition in some
circles to connect this announcement
with the reported effort of a few east
erners to bring about the nomination
of somebody else than Mr. Bryan as
the Democratic leader; but there is
absolutely nothing in this. Senator
Gorman has given strong denials to
any connection with such a plan, and
the admiral’s announcement indicates
his belief that if he becomes a candi
date it w ill be as an independent.
John R. McLean, who is the broth
er-in-law of the admiral, disclaims any
connection whatever with this effort to
create a Dewey boom. Some wag has
suggested that the ticket be Dewey
and McLean, and the platform “Keep
It in the Family.”
Former Senator Gorman, who has
been credited with some connection
with the matter, said in discussing it:
“I was not aware of the admiral’s
political intentions until I saw them
stated in the morning papers. I have
no idea whether he proposes to run on
the Democratic or Republican ticket
or whether he intends to take an inde
pendent tack. Until he mnkes himself
clear on that point it is idle to specu
late what the effect will be on the com
ing campaign.”
Notwithstanding all the levity of
critics, Admiral Dewey expresses him
self as very much gratified over the
manner in which his announcement
to be a candidate for the presidency
has been received by his friends.
LAKE CITY CASE GOES OYER.
South Carolina Citizen* Am Charged With
Lynching Negro Pogtuinnter.
In the federal court at Charleston,
S. C., Tuesday, the case against the
Lake City citizens charged with lynch
ing Postmaster Baker, colored, and
burning The postoffico in 1893, was
carried over to April term. The mo
tion to continue was made by the dis
trict attorney.
The case was tried last year and
*,fter being vigcrougly prosected re
sulted in a mistrial. It is the gen
eral opinion that the government will
abandon ita effort to convict the par
ties and the matter may rest where it
is.
NEW PLAN PROPOSED
Whereby State ITHitia flay Be
Used By Government In Lieu
of Large Standing Army.
Representative Hay, of Virginia, a
prominent member of the military
commit! e\ has prepared with great
care a bill to create of the miiitia of
the several states a reserve volunteer
army for use in time of Avar, to supple
ment the regular army. The bill con
templates a general broadening of the
national guard, its equipment with the
service rifle and its complete organiza
tion in time of war into regiments,
brigades, divisions and corps, with the
three battalion formation, as in the
regular army, and is designed to obvi
ate the necessity of a large stand
ing army upon the expiration of
the present law July 1, 1901, increas
ing the standing army to 65,000 and
authorizing the present volunteer army
of 35,000.
The measure receives additional im
portance from the fact that Mr. Hay is
chairman of the Democratic caucus.
The bill makes all citizens between
the ages of eighteen and forty-five
liable to military service in the volun
teer army.
It appropriates $4,000,000 annually
for the maintenance and equipment of
the national guard of the several
states, this forming the nucleus of the
volunteer army, and requires the sec
retary of war to keep in each state a
supply of ordnance stores sufficient for
niuety days’ use of the national guard
of the state in the event of war.
It provides a system of mobilization
for the guard by dividing the states
int > military divisions and pro
vides for a boai’d of officers in each
state who shall hold examinations for
the position of second lieutenant in
the national guard, such officers to b
promoted for merit aud efficiency.
“The tiino has come,” said Mr. Hay,
in explanation of his bill, “when it is
necessary to consider carefully the
qut scion of the future military estab
lishment of the United States. In the
minds of many the maintenance of a
large standing army seems a necessity,
and at first blush it would seem that
there is no other way out of the diffi
culty which now confronts us.
“A careful consideration of the
question has led to the belief that the
situation can be met without a report
to that worst enemy of a republic—a
large and permanent military estab
lishment. The secretary of war has
well said that ‘the regular ’establish
ment in the United States will never
be by itself the whole machine with
which any war will be fought.’ This
being admitted, it will certainly not
be contended that in time of peace
the regular establishment wiil be ‘the
whole machine.’
“On the first day of July, 1901, the
present army will be reduced to its
peace basis of 26,610 men. Taking
into account the situation which may
confront us at that time, will it be
necessary to increase the regular es
tablishment beyond that number? The
reasons given for such increase are
various, but the most important are
that there must be a sufficient number
of meu to man effectively our sea coast
defenses; a sufficient number to pre
serve peace aud order in the Philippine
islands, and a sufficient number to do
police duty against the Indians and to
take care of the various posts in the
United States.
“The number of men sufficient for
these purposes is variously estimated
at from 65,000 to 100,000 men, but it
is not now necessary to determine this
question, because a year may material
ly change present conditions.
“But it will be admitted by all that
the strongest argument which can be
used against a large standing army is
the creation of a well organized and
thoroughly equipped national guard.
“This country has fought all of her
wars with citizen soldiers and no good
reason can be given for departing
from that policy.”
Boer Prisoners Are Dying.
The departure of The British trans
ports from Capetown with the Boer
prisoners for St. Helena has been de
layed in consequence of the increased
sickness among the prisoners. Three
died Saturday and twelve died daring
the week.
Instructions Kept Secret.
Secretary Root says that the instruc
tions to the Philippine commission
will not be made public at preseut as
it is desired to keep them open for
possible change or addition until the
last moment.
DOCTORS ARE INDICTED.
Llcrniod Physicians of Atlanta, Gi., at
War With Oilier Practitioners.
War has Jjeen declared by the
licensed physicians of Atlanta, Ga.,
on all medical practitioners in the
city who do not hold regular diplomas.
Asa result of the crusade which has
jjeen instituted four indictments were
found by the Fulton county grand
jury. The defendants are Professor
W. R. Price, Dr. John Swanson, Dr.
W. C. Van Valea aud Dr. G. K. Wood
ward.
Each of the accused men is charged
with a misdemeanor, and the bonds
have been placed at SSOO.
Spring
Annually Says Take
Hood’s
Sarsaparilla
Indicate that there are cobwebs f n
the system. It needs a thorough
brushing, and the best brush „
Hoods Sarsaparilla, which sweeps
all humors before it. This great
medicine eradicates Scrofula sue
dues Salt Rheum, neutralizes the
acidity which onuses Rheumatism—
In short, purifies the blood and
thoroughly renovates the whole
physical system.
“Hood’s Sarsaparilla has been
takea in our family as a blood puri
fler and spring medicine with satis
factory results.” Lenah Richard"
boh, 135 West William street, Bath
N. Y. Be sure to get Hood’s.
CHOICE Vegetables
will always find a ready
market—but only that farmer
can raise them who has studied
the great secret how to ob
tain both quality and quantity
by the judicious use of well
balanced fertilizers. No fertil
izer for Vegetables can produce
a large yield unless it contains
at least 8% Potash. Send for
our books, which furnish full
information. We send them
free of charge.
GERMAN KALI WORKS,
93 Nassau St., New York.
Mum’s (be Word.
After they had their breakfast and
he was preparing to go to the office lie
called the eldest daughter to one side
and whispered: “Anything special to
say to me this morning?”
“No, papa. Hope you’ll have a pleas
ant day.”
“Is that all. Nothing you want to
tell me about, no advice to ask, or
favor, or anything of that sort?”
“Only to wear your muffler and not
take cold.”
“Very well,” his voice harder and
louder. “I was conceited enough to
think that you might think some con
sideration due me, and confide in me.
I didn’t know that I might have es
tablished some claim, but the fate of
the married man is to pay bills and
keep out of the road.”
“Why, papa dear, I don’t understand
you.”
“That’s - all right. Don’t try to soft
Bolder me. lam no spring chicken,
and I’ll tell you right now that you re
making it hard for him. I’ll make him
feel as though he’d jumped from a
Turkish bath into a snow drift.”
“Him! Who?”
“O, drop that innocent air. What do
you take me for? Do you think I ha\e
to get the help of an expert to add two
and two? He came last evening and
you said: ‘Why, how do you do, Mr.
Brown?’ When he left it was ‘Good
night, George dear,’ and you purnt’-
ated audibly after each word. iou
came up stairs singing and when
asked what time it was you said it
seemed too sweet to be true. ljW
will you tell?”
“I cannot. You’ll never know
thing about it till he buys lb® '
Detroit Free Press.
A Pair Unnecessary.
Tommy —I know now why yon w
•nly one eyeglass.
His Big Sister’s Bean- Why /
Tommy-Brother Jack said you oug
to see with half an eye that -- _
doesn’t care anything about y
Jewelers’ Weekly.
Malsby & Company,
39 S. Broad St*.
Engines and Boner
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free St menttonfn°^l°^ r -
MentionlhisTaper m