THE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL.
PRICE TWO CENTS.
'OMAHA' FOLK
TO TALK AGAIN
Little Progress Made in To-
day's Conference.
WHATMORECANWEDO?
This Is the Attitude of the Rail
road Officials.
4 WRITTEN ANSWER PROMISED
To the Formal Statements and De
mands Made by the Minneapo
lis Shippers.
Vice President Clarke, speaking for the
Omaha road, after an extended confer
ence with the Commercial club committee
to-day, said that he did not see how the
road could, at the present time, agree to
grant any of the concessions asked by the
Minneapolis business men. Arrangements
were mad© for another meeting at which
the officials of the road are to present In
writing their answer to the written ar
gument put forth by the business men. It
Is now up to the council.
The road was represented by General
Counsel Thomas Wilson, General Superin
tendent Trenholme, and Vice President
James T. Clarke. The Commercial Club
committee was composed of George H.
Partridge, F. F. Lindsay, E. C. Best, S. H.
Hall, and Ernest F. Smith. Of the alder
men present there were President Jones,
and Chatfield, Merrill and Rand of the
council committee on railroads.
Mr. Partridge started the ball by reading
from manuscript the argument of the com
mittee stating why Minneapolis was en
titled to the concessions asked.
A full synopsis of this argument is given
below.
Following Mr. Partridge, Mr. Clarke
spoke for the road. He said that the com
mittee's statement contained too muob de
tail and statistics to allow him to an
swer it comprehensively. It would be un
fair to expect it. In a general way he
did not believe that the statement that
the Omaha road had acted adversely to
the interests of the twin cities in rate
matters could be borne out. He disputed
many of the statements contained in the
committee's arguments on the ground that
they were based on suppositions, that the
figures were incorrect.
Mr. Clarke said that anything tbat he
might have to say would concern thw
Omaha road only. The Omaha did not
control the North-Western. In order to
serve its patrons in Minneapolis better,
the road was preparing to expand its fa
cilities here -and in that connection had
asked for small concessions. He did not
think it fair to attach to this request the
various other subjects that had been
brought into the controversy. Omaha
rates were as favorable to Minneapolis as
those of any other road. Rates from tide
water to Minneapolis were less than from
tidewater to Chicago or St. Louis. He
said that the Omaha road had not the
power to readjust rates. It had always
been willing and always worked to get
the best rates possible for the twin cities
ay its interests were here. He, as traffic
manager for the Omaha, had no more to
do with the North-Western road than
he had with the Milwaukee. Later in
the conference Mr. Wilson said tbat the
Omaha and North-Western were as ac
tive competitors as the Omaha and Mil
waukee.
Distance Tariff Opposed.
Referring to a distance tariff such as
is in operation in lowa, he claimed that it
would be an injury to Minneapolis. It was
impossible to get away from the prefer
ential system of freight rates without in-
Jury to many communities. He asserted
that all would concede that the adjust
ment of grain rates as affecting Minne
apolis, made by the Qyiaha, was satis
factory. In Milwaukee's contention for
lower grain rates, the interstate com
merce commission had ordered the Omaha
to reduce its rates to Milwaukee, while
the Minneapolis rates had remained the
same. It was now in contempt of that
decision, having refused to comply. An
(analysis of adjustment of rates to-day
would show an advantage for Minneapo
lis.
"Whatever I should pledge myself to do
in rate adjustment," said Mr. Clarke, "I
could not carry out. We are in competi
tion with other roads. We make no pro
gress by arbitrary action. We must nego
tiate. If wo reduce rates others will fol
low and the relations of rates generally
would remain unchanged,"
Mr. Smith asked Mr. Clarke whether if
Minneapolis merchandise were paying twice
as much per mile as Chicago merchandise,
it would not be better for the roads to ad
just that matter instead of having it
made a subject of legislation as was the
case in lowa.
"That course is open to you," answered
Mr. Clarke, "tout when a maitter of that
kind is taken to the courts all interests
are considered. As I said before, I think
a distance tariff would be a bad thing for
you."
Mr. Clarke also adverted to the quick
freght service of the Omaha to southern
points. Mr. Partridge and others of the
committee noted some exceptions.
Alderman Merrill asked Mr. Clarke if
it were true that Minneapolis paid twice
as much for the same service as Chicago,
as the committee claimed. If it were
true, Vas there «ny help for it?
Mr. Clarke said that he had never heard
of such a basis of comparson in his forty
years of railroading. He knew of no way
that the condition could be Improved, as
other factors would immediately follow up
the reduction. He contended that the
distributing rates out of Minneapolis were
relatively fair now. He insisted that the
Omaha did all in its power to bring dairy
shipments to Minneapolis.
In reply to a question from Alderman
Chatfield, Mr. Clarke said that lie would
tt» willing to specify within * few days
where the argument of the committee was
wrong.
As to train service, Mr. Clarke did not
believe that the present arrangement was
a disadvantage. The fact that 100 more
people got off at St. Paul daily than Min
neapolis proved nothing. People did not
buy tickets at random. They knew which
town they wanted to go to. Mr. Partridge
took issue with the Omaha official on this
point.
Broufflit to an Issue.
Alderman Merrill finally brought the
discussion to a head by asking the Omaha
official what he was willing to do for Min
neapolis in the way of concessions.
Mr. Clarke said that he knew of nothing
further that the Omaha could do.
General ■ Counsel Wilson answered the
request for moving the shops and head
quarters from St. Paul to Minneapolis.
He drew a fine moral point . that while
there was no contract, the Omaha was
under an agreement with St. Paul to keep
the shops there in return for a tract of
ground that had been given the road. Mr.
Smith said that Minneapolis would make
good the forty acres. Alderman Jones
thought that in the absence of a distinct
contract Mr. Wilson was drawing the
moral point too fine. Superintendent
Trenholme said that it would cost $2,000,
--000 to move the shops to Minneapolis,
and that under present, conditions it
would be impossible to organize the shops
here on an operating basis. Alderman
Chatfield questioned the agreement as
being of an enduring nature. Mr. Clarke
also added that it was impossible to
change the location of the general offices.
In addition to extra expense, they had to
consider the interests of its employes,
many of whom had homes in St. Paul.
Mr. Wilson closed the conference with
a general "jolly" for Minneapolis. The
next conference is to occur within a week.
FLOUR CITY'S ARGUMENT
Unanswerable Statement of Its De- \
mands on the Omaha Road.
The committee's argument covered the
concessions asked of the Omaha by the
business men at the meeting of the coun
cil committee. It stated that the business
men wanted the council to be fair and
liberal in its treatment. of railroads and
expected like consideration for the city
from the roads.
Freight rate discrimination against the
twin cities and , in favor of St. Louis was
the first topic handled. In the discussion
the committee treated the Omaha as a part
of the North-Western system and there
fore a Chicago road. ;If the Omaha were.
nDt a part of this system, said the com
mittee, it would have long since have in
sisted that the twin cities be treated as a
Mississippi river point in the matter of
freight rates. The committee insisted that
it was hardly worth while to consider the
position that the Omaha and North-West
ern were competing systems. A majority
of the Omaha stock is owned by the North-
Western. . -
St. Louis vs. Minneapolis.
The committee cited the following on
' the rate to and from New England and
seaboard points: . . . . . .
The roads east of Buffalo get the - same
amount as their proportion of freight charge,
whether the goods are- consigned to the twin
cities,, Chicago or St. Louis. The lake haul
should toe practically the same to Lake Su
perior points as to Chicago, . as the distance
is the same. . St. Louis is 280 miles from
Chicago, her nearest lake port. - The ; twin
cities are 150 miles from Lake Superior.-
The twin cities are entitled to a lower rate,
as the all-rail rates are governed by the
lake and rail situation. Instead of that, the
twin cities pay $1.15 first-class and St. Louis
87 cents.
The business done by the twin cities last
year was greater than that done by St. Louis
in the last years on which it worked in the
old rate. The population of the twin cities
is larger than at the time that St. Louis
was granted the new rate. On account of
size and volume of business the twin cities
are entitled to the same consideration that
was granted St. Louis.
St. Louis jobbers to-day are working twin
city territory thoroughly. This Is because
St. Louis has a lower all-rail rate to and
from the east than these cities. The twin
cities are entitled to protection. The argu
ment may be made that the North-Western
cannot control the trunk lines east of Chi
cago in making an attempt to secure this
rate. The St. Louis roads had the same
question to meet in 1876, and accomplished
their object. Minneapolis flour and grain
are kept on a comparative basis with St.
Louis on rates to the seaboard. What argu
ment can be applied in the case of flour that
does not apply with even greater force to
the merchandise shipper.
The Chicago Problem.
On the request for a readjustment of
freight rates south and southwest of this
city, and a more favorable train service to
place Minneapolis on a fair basis in com
peting with Chicago, the committee made
the following illustrations:
The charge for hauling a car load of mer
chandise amounting to 10,000 pounds, first
class freight, from Chicago 100 miles toward
St. James, Minn., is $15.72. A similar car
load from Minneapolis, 100 miles toward St.
James, is $31.15.
The charge for hauling such a car load
100 miles towards Winnebago City from Chi
cago is |18; from Minneapolis, $26.25.
For the same car load from Chicago 100
miles towards Marshall, Minn., the charge
is $15.75; from Minneapolis, $34.45.
As a general proposition, on merchandise
moved from Minneapolis and St. Paul to all
points in southern Minnesota, northern lowa
and South Dakota, the freight charge for a
given service is twice as large as when the
goods are moved from Chicago.
A Question -of Time.
Merchandise from Minneapolis to points
west of Tracy, Minn., approximately 150
miles, requires the same length of time in
transit as merchandise from Chicago, which
is 500 miles away. To points on the Fre
mont, Elkhorn and Missouri valley several
hundred miles nearer Minneapolis than Chi
cago, the time in transit from Minneapolis
is nearly double that of goods from Chicago.
This detrimental condition of service exists
on all lines. Chicago is favored in every
particular of freight and passenger service.
For us to accept the usual arguments,
that your road of itself can do nothing to
wards adjusting these rates were you so
disposed; that other lines traversing this
territory must be consulted, would be to
further consent that our rights as a jobbing
center be ignored. The interstate commerce
commission has passed upon several cases
similar to our own and decided that "agree
ments between carriers, though designed to
secure orderly and lawful operations of the
roads, cannot be permitted to fasten upon
neighboring localities a relation of rates
which is unnatural or unjust.
We are confident that, were the interstate
commerce law in the shape In which we be
lieve congress intended to have it, empower
ing the commission to enforce its own rulings
we could secure relief. We are furthermore
persuaded that Its order would be for a gen
eral reduction of rate* between the twin cities
and the territory in question. We do not
wish to be understood as advocates of the
curtailing of railroad revenue, but we can no
longer consent to the continuance of this an
noying and injurious condition of rates. It
may be that rates from Chicago into the ter
ritory in question are too low, but if that is
true, it is now too late to make euch a claim,
as they have been in effect too long and wlli
certainly never be advanced.
The lowa Case.
For the purpose of comparison we desire to
refer to another matter with which you are
Continued on. Second Pxare.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 17, 1901
JAPAN WINS
ADMIRATION
Withdraws Her Request for
Increased Indemnity.
CLAEIFIES SITUATION
The Blockading of Negotiations Is
Thus Happily Averted.
THIS MEANS A LOSS TO JAPAN
Onr Government "Will Try to Secure
Compensation for Her in Some
Other Way.
Washington, July 17.—1n a spirit which
has aroused the keenest admiration of
the state department, the Japanese gov
ernment has met the difficulty growing
SHOOTING THE WHIRLPOOL RAPIDS.
out of the preference of her request for an
increase of her indemnity by withdrawing
that request. The result is a substantial
loss to Japan. She asked originally for
$23,000,000. This figure was more mod
erate than any of the other powers which
played any prominent part in the Chinese
campaign and represented the barest ex
pense of the undertaking. It was fixed
upon the idea that payment was to be
made in cash by China.
Confronted with the bond payment, the
Japanese government asked that her al
lotment be increased to $27,000,000 in
bonds to make good the loss she would
suffer through the sale of the bonds. As
soon as some of the other nations found
that the allotment, as originally fixed, was
in danger of being disturbed they came in
with increased demands, and thus it is
that Japan, finding that insistence upon
her demand will blockade the negotiations
at this phase, has withdrawn her request,
for the present at least. It is safe to as
sume that the United States government
will do what it can to secure compensa
tion for Japan in some other way in the
future.
Mr. Rockhill, our special commissioner
at Peking, has been instructed to give
the consent of the United States to the
discussion of the proposition to Increase
the Chinese custom duties in order to
provide means for the payment of the in
ternational indemnity. Our government
is still opposed to this project, and the
instruction is sent only in deference to
the universal wish _for a speedy conclu
sion of the negotiations at Peking. It is
learned that the hitch in these negotia
tions, the most baffling that has yet oc
curred, is due entirely to the issue raised
as to the increase of customs.
Disposition of Manchuria.
It is understood to be the desire
of some of the great powers that
the disposition of Manchuria shall
go before the ministers at Peking and be
finally determined by a joint agreement
among the powers. Although no definite
step has been taken in that direction, it
is being discussed by foreign representa
tives stationed here who fully expect that
the plan will be adopted. Russia, it is be
lieved, will be reluctant to agree to it.
Attention has been directed to the latter
by reports that Russia had resumed nego
tiations with China regarding Manchuria.
As to the report that Russia will pro
claim Nu Chwang to be a Russian port,
it is pointed out in diplomatic quarters
that Nu Chwang is a treaty port and, as
such, open to the commerce of the world
under the existing tariff regulations with
China, and foreign merchants have the
right to trad© and to conduct establish
ments there. These rights of trade can
not be diverted, in the opinion of diplo
matic officials, toy the Russian proclama
tion unless the powers previously give as
sent. Thus far, however, there has been
no request from Russia or China for any
change in the status of Nu Chwang as one
of the treaty ports.
DANISH CABINET RESIGNS.
Copenhagen, July 17.—The De Sehested
ministry, formed April 27, 1900, has resigned
King Christian has requested the ministers
to retain their portfolios pending the ap
pointment of a new cabinet. J
NAVIGATION AIDED
Year's Work in the Way of
Northwestern River
Improvements.
From The Journal Bureau. Room 45 Tost
Building, Washington. ;■:;;. ,
Washington, July 17.—The annual re
port of Major Townsend of the engineer
corps on the improvement of the Missis
sippi river between the mouth & the Mis
souri and St. Paul was received at the
war department to-day. It sayß that un
der various allotments made by congress
operations have been carried on by hired
labor and th© use of the government plant
at La Crosse harbor and other points on
the river between St. Paul and Winona.
Work was carried on at Tee-pecota point,
where eleven wing dams and 150 fee( of
shore protection were built. In the vicin
ity of Wilds Landing six wing dams 2nd
600 feet of shore protection were built.
From Winona to La Crosse dams were
built and repaired and all contracts com
pleted. From Winona to the Wisconsin
river work was carried on in the vicinity
of Richmond, Winters Landing, Dakota,
Dreshbach and La Crosse. Twelve wing
and closing dams were built and 2,845 feet
of shore protection were placed.
From the Wisconsin river to Bellevue
minor construction work was continued
and some dredging was done near Dubu
que. In La Crosse harbor the lateral
bulkhead and cross dam were built and
filling between bulkhead and levee com
menced. The work during the year has re
sulted in an excellent channel. The ex
penditures on the section of the river in
charge of Major Townsend aggregated
$565,752 for the year. The net expenditure
since the improvement was commenced
wa559,998.64. Major Tawnsend estimates
that $1,000,000 can be expended during the
next fiscal year.
The annual report of Captain J. G. War
ren, in charge of river and harbor work
on the west shore of Lake Michigan,
shows that by dredging at Menominee
harbor the twenty-foot channel provided
for in the original project has been ob
tained. The benefit has been the straight
ening of one of the angles in the channel.
He estimates that $13,750 can be expended
for maintenance during the next fiscal
year. The operations on the Menominee
river consisted of the removal of shoals
in the channel. Major Warren says that
$6,600 is required for the restoration and
maintenance of the channel. He also
recommends the consolidation of the proj
ects of the improvement of the Menomlnee
river and harbor under one project.
Advices have been received at the war
department that Lieutenant Alfred H.
Morgan of Minneapolis, Postmaster Love
joy's brother-in-law, has passed the exam
ination for a second lieutenancy in the
regular army. He will shortly get his
commission.
Washington, July 17.—Major J. C. War
ren, in charge of river and harbor work in
the Milwaukee district, has made the. fol
lowing recomemndations for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1903:
Sturgeon Bay and Lake Michigan, $33,
--500 for completng existing project, ship
canal; Ahnapee harbor, $28,000; Sheboy
gan harbor, $48,400 for completion of
project and maintenance; Harbor of
Refuge, Milwaukee, $187,000 for main
tenance; Milwaukee harbor, $112,500 for
maintenance; Waukegan, $100,000 for con
tinuing project.
Washington Small Talk.
Robert J. Tousley, of Ellendale, and Harry
J. Nierling, of Jamestown, N. D., have been
appointed railway mail clerks.
Postmasters appointed to-day: Minnesota
—Swan River, Itasca county, J. M. Ady.
lowa—Lone Rock, Kossuth county, S. A.
Tyler.
SMALLPOX AT REEDSBURG, WIS.
Special to The Journal.
Baraboo, Wis., July 17.—Six families are
quarantined at Reedsburg. with smallpox.
There are about twenty cases in all at that
place.
Hill a Northern Pacific Director
' New ; York, July 17.— J. Pierpont Morgan announced this afternoon that J. J. Hill,
E. "H. Harriman, H. McK.; Twhombley, William , Rockefeller and f Samuel ; Rea; will be
elected ,to the ? directorate fof the Northern '„ Pacific J company,';, to „ fill* vacancies „toi be
created- • •- ' r '"" ~ '".;". 11;" • ' '■
HEPBURN VS.
HENDERSON
Move to Lessen the Speak
er's Power.
TO CHANGE THE RULES
lowa Man Determined to Accom
plish This Result.
HENDERSON'S CHANGE OF FRONT
Now That He Is Speaker He Objects
to Belli* Less of a Czar Than
Tom Reed Was.
Affair Y*rk Sun Spttolal Sorvlao
Washington, July 17.—Speaker Hender
sons' autocratic power is threatened from
within the ranks of his own party; not
only within bis party, but within the
delegation from his own state of lowa,
now solidly republican.
The man who purposes to undo his col
league who presides over the house is
Representative "Pete" Hepburn. Mr.
Hepburn Jhas long been an advocate of a
change of the rules of the house of rep
resentatives so that the power of the
speaker to control legislation in that
branch of congress should be curtailed
and the conduct of the business of the
house be left to the majority. He began
a fight for a change in the rules before
the meeting of the last coagress and
while the speakership campaign was in
progress. He had quite a following
among the republicans, who promised to
support him in the battle.
Mr. Henderson himself, prior to his
election, and while he was anxiously try
ing to get votes, intimated that he would
be willing to sanction a change In the
rules; that he did not care to have so
much power in his hands. After his elec
tion, however, he frowned on any attempt
to amend the rules that made Reed
famous, and, despite Hepburn's repeated
efforts, forestalled all attempts to make
him less of a czar than was his prede
cessor.
\\: Mr. Hepburn is determined that there
shall be something more than intimations'
and half-way promises at the beginning
■ of the next ; congress. ■■"'.: He has begun a
i campaign for the amendment of the rules
and is claiming the attention of the
members who : have . visited Washington
while Ihe has I been ' here to Henderson's
alleged : abuse of power during the last
I congress. >. He has * many V supporters and
[ has been' in constant correspondence with
members all over the country asking their
support in this movement. .-■•. He promises
i to make it lively for Mr. i Henderson and
I the J committee on | rules, which, ; with th«
speaker ,at .. its head,: ; dictates the
I measures ; that shall. be considered by the
house. -: ;'■".-. . - .'■ ■ :. - ■ -.. -'
! LYNCHED ITALIANS
Their Government Taking the Mat
■ '■"■/: ter Up With Washington. ;
Washington, July i 17.— Italian gov
ernment has i taken cognizance of a recent
affray at 7 Brwin, ;t Miss., in which it ;. is
claimed two, Italians were lynched; and
a:' third seriously wounded. - .The I facts
have.been; communicated to the foreign
office ; at v Rome , and the * Italian V ; embassy
here has made representations to s the
state I department. i*~ At • the " same \ time j the
: Italian :•. authorities are f pursuing .an in
vestigation ,: of I their own h through their
consul at New Orleans and their consular
agent , at - Vicksburg; Miss.; which ris - not
far from the scene of the ; alleged trouble.
12 PAGES-FIVE O'CLOCK.
TO OPERATE STEEL
PLANTS NONUNION
Managers Contemplate a Move That
Is Expected to Cause Serious
Trouble.
Employing Companies Lose $210,
--000 and Workmen $156,000
Daily by the Strike.
Pittsburg, July 17.—According to figures compiled by the Pittsburg
Dispatch, the steel strike is daily costing the three companies involved
$210,000 and the workmen $156,000. It is estimated that in the daily loss of
nearly 23,000 boxes of tin plate a day, the American Tin Plate company is
daily losing over $90,000, while the loss to the canning companies unable to
secure their material is enormous in addition. Practically no stocks have
been carried and consumption has kept pace with the production for some
little time past. About 700 tons of the 1,000 tons daily production of the
American Sheet Steel company is being lost, and this represents a loss each
day to the combine of at least $50,000.
The loss to the gas stove manufacturers is also great, as the mills are
closed which made a specialty of stove iron. This is the heavy season for
making stoves. About 2,000 or 2,500 tons of steel hoops, bands and cotton
ties are being lost daily by the American Steel Hoop company by reason of
the strike, and this presents a daily loss in money of $70,000. It is estimated
that the men are losing in wages $150,000. The tin workers will lose in addi
tion, $6,000 daily.
In addition to all of these losses, the many and varied industries crippled
now and in prospect represent losses to the men of large sums that cannot be
computed now. The Amalgamated men are said to have a fund of over $200,000
with which to keep the strike going, and the many Amalgamated men em
ployed in the various mills still operating will go a great way toward keeping
the sinews of war in good condition.
Pittaburg, July 17.—A threat by District
Manager Perslfer F. Smith of the Ameri
can Sheet Steel company to start the
Wellsville rolling mill and operate it, as
it has been in the past, by non-union men,
was the only new feature in the strike sit
uation this morning and the eyes of all
interested were turned to that plant.
Up to 10 o'clock, however, nothing had
been heard from Wellsville at the head
auarters of the Amalgamated association
in this city. They refused to believe that
the Wells-ville mill had started up and
said they had every reason to believe the
plant was eaut down and ■will remain so.
A dispatch to the Associated Press from
Wellsville, Ohio, at 10:30 o'clock, says:
The strike situation here remains as it
has been ever since the men were called
out of the mill. P. F. Smith, manager for
the American Sheet Steel company for the
Pitslourg district, was here Tuesday and !n
an address to the mill men declared that
the mill will be run as a non-union mill.
He has orders for the mill to start this
morning. In response to Smith's order
about thirty men went out to work. Two
of them were members of the Amalgamated
Association. The manager of the mill con
cluded that thirty men were not sufficient
to man the crews, and the attempt for the
present has been abandoned. It is said
non-union men from other places will be
■brought here to-day, in which case serious
trouble is feared.
May Import Workers.
Now that Manager Smith has declared
himself, it is thought the managers of
the other non-union plants also will make
an effort to resume within a few days
and developments of an exciting nature
are expected. It is known a gang of men
are at work at the Dewees Wood plant
of the American Sheet Steel company at
McKeesport, clearing up and making re
pairs, and a well-defined rumor was
prevalent on the south side of this city
to-day that an effort is to be made by
the mill officers in the Painter plant to
break the strike by bringing workers here
from out of the city. In confirmation of
this, for the first time since the strike
began, watchmen armed with clubs, pa
trolled all sides of the mill this morning.
None of the strikers were to be seen
about the property and everything was
quiet. The mill officers declined to dis
cuss the matter and said when they are
ready to move they will do bo without
any noise. For the present nothing Is
being done, they said, beyond cleaning up
the mills and making repairs that had
been neglected owing to the rush of busi
ness. The Wood plant is closely guarded
also and the strikers look for the manu
facturers to attempt resumption next
week.
On the Other Hand.
In direct opposition to Manager Smith's
India's Worse Famine Coming
Hmw York Sun Snmcfal Mmrvlom.
London, July 17.—India is threatened with famine to an extent unparalleled
in the history of that country, according to Romesh Duett, a distinguished Anglo-*
Indian of the imperial revenue department. In an interview Duett said:
England's oppressive and frequently illegal financial treatment of
India is largely responsible for famines. Unless this system is radically
changed, the Indian empire will live in a perpetual shadow of famine,
with its attendant misery and death. The famine in Bombay has con
tinued two years, and is entering on the third season. This is a condi
tion absolutely unknown hitherto, and unless rains bring relief it is Impos
sible to foresee the bounds of the disaster. Practically the only remedy
is to reduce the present iniquitous and burdensome land tax, which, in
the northern provinces, takes half the landlord's rental and in the
southern provinces one-third of the produce of the soil. These impos
sible proportions are collected with rigorous severity and are not always
strictly legal.
Gould Bitten by Rockefeller
Hmw York 9un Samolal 3*e Woe.
New York, July 17.—According to a stry going the rounds of Wall street, Joha
D. Rockefeller, Jr., has been the one man who has caught George Gould napping.
It is said that Gould and young Rockefeller, having been together in the recent
Northern Pacific deal, came to admire each other's nerve. They decided to put
Missouri Pacific up to 150. So they began to buy Missouri Pacific away down about
par. This was Just after the big panic. As a result of their persistent buying,
speculators were astonished to see Missouri Pacific go sailing up to 120. At that
figure there was a suspicious hesitancy in the upward movement.
"Some one is selling Missouri Pacific short," says Gould to Rockefeller.
"No, I guess somebody is unloading some long stock." Rockefeller replied.
The price fell back two points and the Gould renewed hia buying with energy
and raised his price to 124%. It wavered again. Thousands upon thousands of;
shares were purchased by Gould, but the price would not advance. Finally, on
the day the dividend was declared, it is said that Mr. Gould discovered that young
Mr. Rockefeller had unloaded no less than 60,000 shares af the high figures. Goui4
declaration and the evident prepara
tions at the Painter and Woods works,
an official of another of the companies
interested, who did not want his name
used, asserted that the companies have
no intention of starting their plants. The
same official said something might be
done in ninety days, but he would not
say whether that was the time the officials
expected the strike to last.
What the manufacturers generally think
of the strike cannot be learned. All
information at the offices of the com
panies or at the mills is denied. The
explanation offered is that there is
nothing to give out or that order has
gone forth forbidding anyone to talk.
President Shaffer is etill hopeful of an
early settlement of the strike. The in
formation he received from the strike
centers to-day was quite meager. This
he interpreted to mean that the strike
is going on well.
Nothing further has been done In ref
erence to the issuance of a strike call
to the Amalgamated men In the mills
of the United States Steel corporation
outside the three companies against
which the fight is now directed. He will
issue the order only when it become*
necessary he says. It is evidently th«
purpose of the association to confine ita
fight for the present to the three com
panies now involved.
Dispatches from Scottdalo report th«
efforts of strike organizers at the old
Meadow works up to this time as hay«
ing been fruitless. A number of em
ployes declared that they will not strike
under any circumstances.
At Saltsburg everything is moving har
moniously and a strike is not appre
hended. The plant is running in full witll
three mills, and the men are apparently
a unit against striking.
Urged to Organise.
The executive committee of the Amalga
mated Association sent a circular letter
this morning to the sheet workers of
Vandergrift, Leechurg and Apollo, making
a strong appeal to them to organize.
These daces are still at work and what
effect this circular will >have cannot be
stated as yet; but as these mills are
among the largest in the country, the out
come will be watched with great interest.
Two independent concerns — the Licking
Rolling Mill company of Covington, Ky.,
and the American Car and Foundry com
pany of Detroit. Mich.,—sent the signed
scales to Amalgamated headquarters to
day. The strikers' officials say the steel
bar mill of the Mingo Junction plant of
the United States Steel corporation closed
this morning. The shut-down affect*
about 100 men.
Only one furnace was in operation at
Lindsey & McCutcheon's to-day. An an
nouncement was made that if the matter
shall not have been adjusted before even
ing, all the strikers at the Lindsay &
McCutcheon plant will go to the Mononga
hela Iron and steel company's plants at
Six Mile Ferry, where there is work tot