Newspaper Page Text
OHE THEORY DISP08EB OF
WRECKING TUGS REPORT HI HAVANA FOR DUTY
Tlio SInluo'a Kedlenl Journal Kccov*
?ro?-c onHnlsOenerol 1.00 Win itc?
111:1111 at Hin l*osl? Admiral Ktcttrd
in I'onv Hen!Hi?Ships Concent ra?
ting ut Kej- Wont.
_
"Washington, D. a, Feb. 23, 1S9S.
The arrival of a mall in Washington
from Key West this afternoon, bringing
?several private letters from naval offi?
cers lately attached to the Maine, caused
a wave of excitement a>t the depart?
ments and the Capliol, forv there were
all sorts of rumors as to the contents
of the letters, very few of which rumors
in polnit of fact had any sound busU?.
The only feature, so far as could bo
discovered, of real Importance as throw?
ing light on the cause of the explosion,
contained In the letters, warf the state?
ment thait the two after boilers in the
after boiler space were all of the eight
boilers of the Maine that were under
steam at the time of the explosion.
This fact had a negative value, lor It
disposed at once of the theory that any
exploding boiler had ctuiri-d the wreck.
The experts all say tii.it by no possi?
bility could the after boiler-explosion
have wrecked the foie part of the
Maine and left the after part almost
unharmed.
Much interest was shown In a dis?
patch received shortly before 3 o'clock
from Admiral Sicard, giving ;he recom?
mendation of Captain Sampson, of the
court Of Inquiry, as *o the raising of the
wreck. The view of naval oltlclals was
that Captain Sampson and his associ?
ates were giving this advice not as a
court, but as ollleers In a position to
speak a?. to tha best method's to be
adopted for raising the Maine. Va?
rious Interpretations were put on the
?expression "forward half completely
destroyed." This was regarded as a
partial'confirmation of the theory that
the forward magazine had exploded, as
that is one of the most important por?
tions of the forward half of the ship.
At ihe same time, l<t was held by some
naval authorities that the destruction
of the forward half of the ship did not
necessarily mean that-the forward mag?
azine hid exploded, as this might be
still intact, although a'part of the gen
eiv.l wreckage. In the absence of an ex?
plicit statement ai*<to the forward maga?
zine there was a disposition not to nc
cept any Implied statement as to its de?
struction.
Captain Sampson's recommendaition
that a contract be made with the bent
equipped wrecking company 10 remove
material ami lift the ship without delay
was? in Hire with ithe action already
taken in closing a contract with the two
largest wrecking concerns in the coun?
try, by which their combined facilities
will bo at the service of the Govern^
men;. The contract contains a claiiise
binding the wreckers to use their in?
most efforts to expedite the work, so
that tin- department feels that every?
thing has been don,- to carry out the
vlewi3 ex press.-.1 by Captain Sampaon.
A clause of the contract Itemizes the
amounts to bo paid for each branch of
wrecking work, viz.: Wrecking tug
Underwriter, $i">'t per day; wrecking
steamer Jones. $jon-. lighter Seymouri
$75; derrick Chief. $75; barge Lone Star.
$.".0; wrecking tug Right Ann, $200;
wrecking master. $15; wreckers, $t."iO
each; dlvett?, $30 each.
NO IfNTtKdCVlKWS WITH DIVJ0R8.
Evidently .the president of the court
of Inquiry Is fearful of the effect upon
the public of Ill-judged attempts to
account for ithe destruction of the
Maine, for this afternoon be telegraphed
Secretary Long, doubtless having in
mind certain publications of this morn?
ing, as follo.v-:
"Havana, Feto. 23.?Any reported in?
terview with divers untrue. Every
precaution hay been taken. Officer til
ways present."
This brief statement disposes of all
the allegations that have been inad'j
pro and con as to Ihe blowing up of.
the forward magazines.
The officers here are still thinking
of Captain SIgsbec's request of yester?
day lo be furnished with the plans of
the Maine's section through the maga?
zines nnd cool bunker pockets. Tl.s
reference to the latter Is particularly
IntercutIng and leads to a desire to be
informed oti the exact quantity and
quality of the coal supply at the time
, of the explosion. 11 Is said that these
pocket bunkers are rarely emptied, hie?
ing designed as much for the protec?
tion of the ship nguinst gun shots as
for capacity to hold coal. One ex?
pert said that, these bunkers in his
own experience have not been emptied
In months. All of this had lo do with
the spontaneous combustion theory, as
the blinkers abut on Hie magazines
nnd might have ."et off even the safe
brown powder, if the latter were ex?
posed to a degree of heat above 600
degrees for some time. The request
beside may show that Captain Sigsbee
Is not. yet satisfied as to the. cause of
the explosion, notwithstanding the ex?
pressions that have been attributed to
Mm by unauthorized persons.
One of the private letters received
here to-day, In speaking of the dlsas
' ter, says It was all over In five min?
utes. Tin; writer was ashore and heard
the noise, lie hastily took a boat and
started for the Maine, arriving there
In about twenty-live minutes. Then
nil was quiet and smooth and. In fact,
as ho said, In live minutes ufler the
blast the Maine was ln about her pres?
ent condition.
Some solicitude was expressed at the
Navy Department over the report of
Admiral Sica-rd's health. It is said,
however, that there was no occasion
for relieving him now; that the llag
ship New York Is not to leave Key
West, and even if she should Captain
Sampson or Captain Taylor can as?
sume charge of the squadron while the
Admiral takes the two weeks' leave to
recuperate from his malarial fever,
which he was about to enjoy when he
voluntarily returned to his place.
A formal ordei was made out this
afternoon for Lieutenant-Commander
Wa'inwrlght to take station at Havana
and look after the Government's in?
terest while the work of raising tho
Maine progresses. It has been ar?
ranged that he shall be substituted on
board one of the wrecking steamers.
The big double turreted monitor Ter?
ror remains under orders* to stay In
Hampton Roads until further notice.
It Is likely that s-ho will be sent to
take the place of the Maine In the
North Atlantic squadron, if not needed
elsewhere Immediately. Tiie officials,
however, are loath to encumber the
battleships und speedier craft with tho
Terror, as she might retard the execu?
tion of manoeuvres.
COUKT OF l.xqVIKY.
Every .Survivor ol llic Wreck Will He
Examined?Wracking 'l ugs ttopoit
lor limy.
Havana, Keb. 23.?The United States
; court of Inquiry lr.<to the loss of the
'Maine met this morning at 10 o'clock,
and examined Dr. Honiebcrger, Pay?
master Hay and Chief Engineer Howell,
I of the battleship. There was a rccc?J
ordered at noon, and it lasted until 1:30
p. in. Several witnesses, whose names
are not now obtainable, were examined
during ;he afternoon.
A anther visit was made to the wreck
by Captain Samp.-ui, president of the
court. The Captain .-ays he has no
Idea of the length of time the court
will remain In session here, it all de?
pends upon -tho testimony ind new fea?
tures requiring further Investigation
may develope at any time. Captain
Simpson added that sooner or later,
every survivor of the Maine will Ik- ex?
amined by tho court, which seems to
Imply tha>t sessions for that purpoee will
be held at Key West. Although this in?
formation is meagre it Is absolutely
all captain Sampson will give to the
pre.*--. The correspondent of the Asso?
ciated Press .<?.?cs him by appointment
twice dally, but there te a rigid rule
I to observe siler.ee until the facts in tho
ense have developed through the testi?
mony presented.
\\nKECKING TUGS ARRIVE.
The Right Arm. of -.he M err lit &
Chapman Derrick and Wrecking Com?
pany, is moored about 200 yards from the
poop of the Maine. The wrecking tug
looks powerful enough to move a moun?
tain, yet it is reported tha.t she not
supplied, owing m her butrled depart?
ure for ihie port, with all the apparatus
she necdiJ for the work which is before
her.
Captain McG;c, the commander of the
Right Arm. has reported to Captain]
Sigsbec, as ordered by the Navy De?
partment, and will act under Captain
Sigs'bce'a orders, which are not yet for?
mulated, or, at least, are not made
known.
A strong wind to-day made the harbor
rough and added to the difficulties of the j
divers, as the electric Ugh!a are worked
fr.mi a battery on board the lighthouse
tender Mangrove, 200 yards distant.
?i A s A B'M M 1".!?IVA t. jou ii x a [..
.still Legible Thiingli Well Kontiert
I.ee Hiih no Intention ol C?ltllUK
II onto.
Washington, D. C. Feb. 23.?A re?
minder of the Milne disaster reached]
the Navy Department to-day in the
shape of a water-Eta Incd .and brine
flavored'package enclosing the- medical
Journal i f the Maine. This document
came through Consul-Generhl Lee's
mail pouch to the State Department in?
stead of through the mails, from
which it wtis probably barred by its
weight.
'! he Ofllolals say the package was
under wati r for days, from 11? appear?
ance, and it still beans evidence of
t'hat fact, beside having an unpleasant
brackish odor. The blue mark lines
ruled on the paper by the Government
Printing Ollire are nearly faded out.
but the reading in the journal in the
metallic Ink used by the navy "Is clear
and distinct. of course there is noth?
ing In the book bearing upon the dis?
aster, but it is a tribute to the meth?
odical haldt of fcurgeon Heneberger,
the Maine's medical oUlcer, wh-.-o re
1 cord was brought up to the last
moment before the wreck of the ship,
the last entry being February 15th.
NO O'R'DF.RS Fait THE TERRO'R.
No orders have yet gone out to the
big double turreted monitor Terror, SO
the situation as to her remains as it
did yesterday, when Secretary Long
Plated that she was being held for
orders at Norfolk.
Consul-General Lee, In the coutse of
friendly talks in Havana with Ameri?
cans, may hnve expressed tho views
rhat there ate at present other places
I mure desirable as resorts for persons
who have no particular business there,
ihnn Havana, but the State Depart?
ment authorizes the announcement
I that it has not yet been ndvlsod that
he has cither ofltclally or seml-ofll
dally delivered himself of any expres?
sion on the subject. The Spanish Le?
gation also discredits reports that
General Lee hat; given any such warn?
ing.
It Is said at the department that no
message hns been conveyed to the
owners of American vessels at New
Orleans or elsewhere that it would hol
bo safe for them to visit t'uban ports
at this time.
SHIPS GOING TO KEY WEST.
The battleship Texas and the gun?
boat Nashville will leave Galvestoh to?
day for Key Wan. where they will ro
(Contlnucd on Fifth Pago.)
Hunger Rears a m iwl I
gu?lim itoraiiiitt.
ill NAVAL OFFICFRS SAW IN UHIIIS
Heaths from NtnrvnH?? ?? I'*""*
Vinco Jfttiilbor 50,000? People ?o
ecnilj a inuem KeUuccii to hck
gury ?Au?li??rl?lcn Unable lo Sups
jply Hie XeecUof tlio HlMlUlude.
(Correspondence 1- C Associated Press.)
Santiago d* Cuba, Feib. 23, 1S08.
While the United States cruiser Mont?
gomery was at Matanzas recently a
board vf ofllcers was appointed to in?
quire Into tlie condition of the people
of that province. Although 'the exact
terms of tlie r port arc not known,
it was be said, Hint In substance, it
sets forth that there are 14,000 people
absolutely without food and clothing
within the city limits. Aibout 3,000 of
these live In small huts of pafm branch?
es. These huts form three separate
villages beyond the built up portions"
of the city. The oilier 11,000 unfortu?
nates live In the streets of the city
and are absolutely without hoth s or
sh.lter.
These 11.000 people are of the labor?
ing classes who have been driven into
the cities from 'their country homes,
which have been destroyed In the- war
operations. Must i f them are women
and children and they are emaciated,
sick and almost beyond relief, unless
they can have the benefit of regular
?treatment in the hospitals. As It is,
they are dying in the streets for want
of food.
According to statistics gathered from
best efflelal sources, the number of
deaths In "the.province of Matanzas
from starvation is 59,000, 'and the num?
ber of starving people at present In
the province Is estimated at 08.000 out
of a total population of 253.C16 In .De?
cember. 1S07, and the number of starv?
ing people Is rapidly Increasing. In
the clly of Matanzas alone there have
b en about 11,000 deaths during the
past year, and the number1 is increasing
daily. The death rano at present av?
erages -tG per day, as shown by the re?
ports from the cemetery. The increase
in t!ii death rate is due to the fact
Hunt the distress Is no longer confined
to the Iniborlng class, most of wiibm
havji already perished. It has now
extended to those people who before the
war were in moderately comfortable
circumstances. Those wb'j are now beg?
ging in the streets were, in a large
part, well to do people, or the children
of 'the well to do. And in addition,
the citizens of the city of Matanzas
themselves are beginning to suffer for
the actual necessaries of life, having
drained their resources iin urder to
supply the needs of the lavorlng class
who have l>een quartered irp >n thorn.
The cHlzens of Matanzas have an or?
ganized system of relief for the starv?
ing people, but It Is entirely Inade?
quate, and is daily 'incoming more
glnringly so, for the resources "f those
who were well to do are raj.idly dimin?
ishing, while the demand for' food is
constantly Increasing, in spite of the
enormous and constantly Increasing
deaith rate.
At the city of Matanzas the citizens
have three places fn an whldh thev
issue rations.
< >:n- of these places was visited by
th? officers of the Montgomery, and
while they were there the streeit In
front of the house was packed with a
clamoring mass of ragged, emaciated
men. women and children, und the
board of olllcers with difficulty man?
aged to reach the door through which
j they wer.- admitted to the relief sta?
tion. There " they found 100 starving
people, this being the actual number of
persons for whom the citizens had
been able to provide ration* there. In
a room across the court yard of the
building wire 100 tin pans and as many
spoons. These pans were tilled with a
cooked mess of rice ond fish, and were
arranged in rows ready for distribution
j among the famishing people who were
In waiting in another part of the house.
Hut. as already said, the three re
lief places In the city of Matanzas do
not begin to adequately ?upply fd id
to the 1-1,000 people who are there
starving in the Streets, for the citizens
are only able to issue food three limes
a day at each place and then to only
about 300 at a time.
It should be added that a large num?
ber of the citizens of Matanzas lire
fed the starving in the streets in front
of their own homes, but the citizens
themselves are feeling the pinch, in"
privation and unless assistance soon
comes to them they will be compelled
in self-protection to cease the work of
charity in which they are now engaged
and which is seemingly the only salva?
tion for the starving thousands.
The only other public relief at Ma?
tanzas is that given to the poor s>k
children by the management of the
Emergency Hospital, which is under
the direction of the Volunteer Fire De?
partment of Matanzas. There are
about eighty children which are
treated daily and are furnished with
nourishment under the direction of the
city physicians.
These statements are the conclusions,
facts and figures arrived at by n board
of United States naval olllcers. There
fire It will be readily seen Hint then
Is urgent necessity for the lmme.li.it,
relief of the starving thousands o
Matanzas. to say nothing of those win
are similarly suffering in oilier cities
When the United States naval oil)
(Continued on fifth page.)
Hurtig Crisis seriously diet?
ed ns n Groin Mil}.
MORGAN ON IIMCI DEGURMIOl OF IHR
itimsc Disposes or Forty%SI:s 1'ugeN of
Nnmlry Civil Appropriation hill?
Provision for Pitying fur iniorimi.
r i on AicniiiNt Moonshiner* III ri alten
Out.
Washington, D. C, Feb. 23, lsns.
'wiuie the Semite had under con?
sideration the diplomatic and consular
appropriation bill to-day a sharp de?
bate on the Cuban situation was pre?
cipitated by Mr. Allen, of Nebraska,
wlio offered as an amendment the re?
solutions passed by the Senate a year
ago, recognizing: the belligerent righls
of the Cuban Insurgents. The debate
became general and occupied marly
four hours.
Mr. Allen first offered the following:
"Whereas, 11 Is the established doc?
trine or the United States that the
Wintern Hemisphere shall be dedicat?
ed to the Republican forms of gov?
ernment, recognizing the political
i quality of human beings; ?ml,
"Whereas, The principles of the
Monroe doctrine or the doctrine of na?
tional self-preservation is as applicable
in wresting any portion of tills con?
tinent from the grasp of foreign coun?
tries, as In preventing them from ob?
taining' additional territory; and,
"Whereas, The Island of Cuba, by
reason of Its location und close prox?
imity to the Untied Slates, should by
right by dedicated to a Republican
form of government; and.
"Whereas, A Republican form of
government is, and has been, for nearly
three years maintained in said island
by force of arms; and. *
"Whereas, It is alleged that 500,000
persons on said Island have- died of
starvation by reason of being concen?
trated by the Spanish Government at
various points, without being fed or
afforded an Opportunity to provide
food for themselves, and hundreds tire
daily dying; and,
"Whereas, The dictates of humani?
ty require the lntervt ntion of the
United States in such case; the ret ire,
"Resolved, That a select committee
of live Senators shall be appointed
whose duty It shall be to forthwith
make a thorough Investigation and In?
quire into and report on the following
subjects:
"First?To what extent the work of
concentrating the Inhabitants of Cuba
has been carried on by the Spanish
Government and how many persons on
said Island have In the last three years
died as a result of starvation, or for
lack of sufficient food, anil diseases
incident, thereto, and to what extent
concentration is now being practiced
there by Spanish authority, and tho
condition of the people concentrate1..
"Second? 'Wheth. r the concentrated
Cubans have been adequately shelter?
ed, clothed and fed by the Spanish
Government. >>r by others, or have
been permit teil to obtain food and
clothing for themselves.
"Third?'What lawful steps, if any.
are necessary and can be'taken by the
Cnlted States to bring war in Cuba,
to a speedy termination, on grounds
honorable alike to Spain and Cuba, and
which will result in the kingdom -if
Spain relinquishing its hold "ti the
Island and In the establishment of a
Republican form of government there
"Fourth. t < what extent Spanish bar?
barity and crtt Ity have, during'the war
now In progress on the island < r Cuba,
ho. n practiced towards the inhabitants
? ?I Cuba, and what can be lawfully dbne
?by the United Stau s, if anything, to
njn 'llorate'the condition of the Cubans.
"And to the*? ends and to these pur?
poses said comtntt'Ue may sit at such
?limes and places as they may set; prop?
er during the sessions or Congress and
in vacation, and shall have the right to
visit .and take testimony in Cuba, if
deemed proper 'to do so. All testimony
taken shall be preserved, and the Und?
ings or said select committee, together
with all testimony, shall be reduc d to
writing and reported 'to theSenate ait as
early a date as practicable."
An Objection to Immediate: consider?
ation by Mr. Platt (Conn.), the resolu?
tion under the rules went over uretil to?
morrow.
The mlllttary academy appropriation
?bill, carrying $454,240 was passed.
on motion of Mr. Hale (Maine), the
diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill was taken up. It appropriates II.
746,408, that amouivt being an Increase
over the sum carried by the bill as It
passed the house or $17.400. .Mr. Allen
offered as an amendment the resolution
recognizing the belligerency of the Cu?
ban Insurgents, which was unfavorably
reported a few days ago by che com?
mittee on foreign relations.
Mr. Allen claimed Hint Congress was
dodging this issue and his desire was
?to find whether it could in nny way Ire
Induced, cajoled or kicked lnk> ?putting
?the country In n dignified attitude on
the Cuban question.
Mr. Morgan (Alabama) said the Scn
ats had twice passed the Cuban bell I
gerency resolution substantially as It
was now offered, but both times it
had been done openly and frankly.
"We h iv no right," said he. "to make
a declaration of war against Spain un?
der cover, and that is precisely what
this resolution would mean. If ihli
amendment were attached to the appro?
priation bill Spain might well regard it
as a cause of war. As I have before in?
dicate!, the conditions and situation in
Cuba wore entirely different when this
resolution was passed by "the Kennte.'
Mr, Morgan said that It might almost
wt any tlm?.; 'previous to this have been
regarded as ci peacs measure and Spain
would have no right t;> take offense art
the United States oh the ground of our
declaration of belligerency. The situa?
tion now, however, he ''.bought, was en?
tirely different. Mel ween Hoo.f.oo and
f.oo.ouo people i,ad been sttarved lo death
on the Island. Fortunately, on occouirt
of relief measures Instituted In this
country, few. If any, Americans had
been Included in that number.
"This awful condition of affairs," said
Mr. Morgan,"makos our position In ithe
Cuban matter extremely delicate. Inter?
vention now of the kind proponed a year
ago means war. It could mean nothing
else. An Intervention oh the pact of
this govi rii'tncnt In il*a present criti
cal condition of affairs .would almost
certainly be regarded -by Spain as a
casus belli.
In ithe present circumsttahces It
would hot be consistent with the feel?
ings or characteristic or the senti?
ments of tin: American people to ?lo
anything that would lit any way aggra?
vate th ?? situation which has been
brought about by the events leading up
to 'ihe Inquiry now in progress at Ha?
vana.
"If, however, any Senator believes In
a leclaration of war, and will draw up
such declaration with sufficient and
proper ground* upon which to base it,
1 will vote for it.
"1 will net, however, vote for any
declaration of war in disguise. The
Spanish are a great and powerful and
proud people, and they believe that
their r?iu-v is right. 1 do not wish to
provoke them to a declaration of war.
I have always believed, ami believe now,
that the- war in Cuba could not 'be ter?
minated without Involving the United
States In hostilities, i believe that the
I mu.tter will eventually be submitted to
the arbitrament id' the sword. The
whole world recognize? Spain's inability
lo conquer the Cubans, and sootier "f
later we shall become, In my opinion,
j Involved in the armed controversy; If
we me ni to declare war, let us do go
like men, and not endeavor to conceal
I ourselves behind so transparent ti
j cloak."
Continuing, Mr. Morgan said the Cu?
bans bad themselves, by force of their
arms, forced the proposition for au?
tonomy?an autonomy so liberal that if
a man had proposed it in Cuba four
i years igd he would have been hanged.
; He declared that the Cuban* had al
j ready fought and won their revolution,
and nothing remained hut for them to
continue their bellig.'rent attitude until I
Spain should recognize the republic;
Mr. Teller did not accept Mr. Morgan's
position that the adoption of this
amendment would be a declaration of
war. He had, he said, reached the con?
clusion that the recognition of belliger?
ency rested with the Executive.
-Mr. Foruker announced his Intention
to vote against the amendment, as It
was sought to make it a rider on an
: appropriation bill. He said he had voted
I"!- the belllgetency resolution, couched
in precisely the same terms as this,
which wan adopted a year ago, and he
had always been glad that he had done
so. in conclusion; Mr. Porakcr said:
"I expect no very dfcrtani day that
there will be an appropriate occasion
for further remarks upon this question,
I think the time Is coming for action."
Mr. Th?rs ton (Nebraska) said that he
had voted to accbid belllgenren-t rights
to the Cuban Insurgents both times it
hlil come before the Senate. "I have
never ceased to regret," said he. "that
ihe United State'- did not afford to the
Cubans belligerent rights at the time
when the cruelties and barbarities of
Weyler would have won for us the sym?
pathy of Ihe civilized world. Had we
recognized the belligerency of those
struggling people then I believe that
ere this they would have been In pos?
session Of the Island, nnd we would be
in ho danger of war. 1 believe now that
we n:e drifting into a war with Spain;
Win n the President delivered to us his
message he ?et time to tunning, and
?that time has < vrr since been running.
The time is coming?i lod knows how
soon it will be here?when action In ac?
cordance with the President's message
must be taken; when we shall either
have to back down from our position or
in;, rvea. in the'Cuban affair, with the
probability of war. There is enough
said nil over this country concerning
the Inqui y now proceeding in Havana
into tile Maine catastrophe to Involve
us in war. Our people, in the present
indicate situation, might well be at
their altars praying for calmness and
peace. 1 hope that the Inquiry now
proceeding in Havana will develop noth?
ing that may Invoke us in hostilities,
but while that Inquiry is proceeding We
In the Senate should maintain a most
cli'cum&peot attitude, and be calm and
quiet."
Mr. Allen made an extended reply to
the arguments advanced against his
position. He maintained this was the
first time the belligerency proportion
had been presented to the Senate when
there was rwty chance of its being effect?
ive. The House would be brought face
to face with It. and It would he brought
to a vote in that body. It coukl net be
buried in a commit ice.
Mr. Hale, In charge- of the bill, yielded
to Mr. Hoar (..Massachusetts-), who said
he desired, in Justice to himself and to
those who believed wljlh him. to refute
the ch irges of cowaj-dlee which had been
hurled at those who differed from him
by the Senator from Nebraska (Allen),
lie discufliCd the situation from the
standpoint of an International lawyer,
maintaining that the recognition of bel?
ligerency In ordinary circumstances was
not a o.iuse of war.
?He expressed the opinion that the
enactment of a belligerency resolution
at the present time would be produc?
tive of war because of the friction that
would be created by Spain exercising
Hie right of search of United States
vessels on the high seas.
He did not. he .'.aid. believe that any
Senator should make utterances about
a friendly tuition that could not with
entire propriety be made by the Presi?
dent of the United States.
(Continued on Third Tage.)
ui Ii nil
HOUSE APPROPRIATION BILL REPORTED
Propose* n Nu vi tig ol Fifty TIioiiNnml
Itollitrn-Ntrlltc nl itiiokot Nliop* ?'
Wleklinni'M Finn for n (Ibnstlia*
liaiinl ('oiiimlMMlon?Jnll Keepers
Win n victory.
(Special Dlspnlch to The yTrJfBTan.)
Hieltnioiul, Vn., Feb. 23, 1SUS.
The Senate and House Committees
on Privileges and Elections to-night
decided to recommend the reappolnt
mcnt "f A. 3. Dnlton, X. it. Joynes
and J. p. Hofhelmcr <is tlie Electoral
tfoatd of Norfolk. Senator Foster
wanted Arthur 1'. Junes a? u member
of the hoard ami Cought hard for hint.
.Mr. Klzer and -Mr. John Ii. White
head advocated the present hoard. .Mr.
Cooke wanted a postponement In order
that In- might Inquire Into the wishes
of his people; If each of the three rep?
resentatives was to he allowed to name
a member Mr. Joynes WUS his choice.
The action of the committee was prac?
tically unanimous.
The Senatorial primary bill was de?
feated In the Senate to-day. The meas?
ure came lip as the special order and
.Mr. Barksdale, Its patron,* offered a
ftllbslltutc which provided that party;
organizations might order primaries in
order to Instruct for candidates for
United Slates Senator, and that such
primaries should be subject to the law?
governing the general elections. lie
stated that he was convinced that the
original bill would not pass, but he
hoped the substitute would bo adopted.
After Mr. Flood hail spoken In opposi?
tion to both the substitute and. the
orlglnc.l, the substitute was defeated
by a vole of 21 to la. Mr. F.gglefitoti
Ilten proposed a substitute to legalize
all primary elections held In this State,
and It was defeated. The original bill
was rejected by a vote of 20 to 10.
There was a lively debate In the
House over the bill offered! by Mr.
Watkinti to prohibit dealings In 'fu?
tures. This measure. Is designed to
break up the bucket shops, it was
passed.
Mr. Wickham offered Ln the Senate
a bill to carry out the Governor's re?
commendations concerning a commis?
sion to report to the next regular ses?
sion or a called ?esslon of the General
Assembly such amendments to the
constitution as uro needed. He pre?
sented this ns a. substitute for the
Withers' constitutional convention bill.
The measure provides thai the commis?
sion shall consist of fifteen members,
live to be elected by the Senate, five by
the Mouse and live to be appointed bj?
the Governor. Members of the com?
mission are to be paid S-l per day, but
the compensation of each shall not ex?
ceed $100. The commission is author?
ized to employ a secretary tit a coist
not exceeding $noo. The two bills were
made the special viriler for to-morrow.
The Parker bill to prevent railroads
from discriminating against Virginia
in the long and short haul rales canje
ui> in the House and evoked a spirited
debate. Messrs. Pilcher and Wlliurd
opposed It. A vote had not been
reached when the chair was vacated at
2:30 i>. in.
Mr. MeTlwalne offered a bill to con?
solidate the Richmond and Petersburg
and the Petersburg Railroad Companys
under the name of the Atlantic Coast
Ivirie company, it differs from the one
rejected by the H^use yesterday only
in (he name proposed. Mr. Mcllwalne
snid be believed the House dismissed
the bill under a. misapprehension. The
measure was passed by the Senate and
when sent, over to the Houee w*3
placed on the calendar.
The appropriation bill was reported
to lb.- House to-day. I?t makes cuts In
the Senate act aggregating $50,000! Tho
biggest reduction is In theoipproprlatloh
for criminal expenses, which Is cut from
$27.">,OCO lo $250,000! The bill was ma.de
>'.he special order for to-morrow.
The H'ouse Committee has reported
adversely the bill to enlarge the- peni?
tentiary by appropriating $100.000 of the
earnings of tha'L Institution. This
imcaatire has passed the Senate.
The sheriffs and city sergeants have
?won a victory. It will bo remembered
that the House cut their fees as jailers
down about one-half. Tto-day 'the Sen?
ate Fliuunce Committee (rejected the
bill and reported a substitute. Tlie' sub?
stitute provides 'the following schedule:
For 25 prisoners! 25 cents each per day;
for the next 25 prisoners, 23 cents each;
for the nexit 50 prisoners, 20 cents.each;
and for prisoners ov-r 100, 18 cents.
Senator P.arnes offered a Mil to In
eonporaite the Old Point Comfort Col
I lego, with John B. Van der Wee and
others as corporators. It Is proposed to
etitafblish a larg:- female college at Old
Point.
The commit t-:e appointed to report as
?to the advisability of the removal of
Houdan's statue of Washington from
ithe capital to tho State Library, rec?
ommended the change.
Senator Boykln, under a suspension
of the rules, had passed the iblll to al?
low W. N. McAnge to remove the oys?
ters he had planted on IS acres of rock
In Nansemond river, inadvertently as?
signed to him under the Baylor sur?
vey.
Mr. Xewberne introduced a bill to
incorporate th> Norfolk and Tempor
anccvlUe Turnpike company. )
A bill was Introduced at tho request
of Dr. Snend, who was absent, to ln
(Continued on Sixth Page.)
