Newspaper Page Text
UAXCI?: OK THERMOMETER.
The Tange of Ine thermometer at The
Times ?office >-eslcr?Jti>? was as follows: T?
?. M. :?>: 12 "A?.."'.*?: ?! P. M.. Si?; f. TV G?..
Si; S G. M.. 30: 12 >I? 27; average. 32 1-3.
VOL?. 14. SO. 27c/.
RICHMOND VA., THURSDAY-JANUARY 4, 1900.
WEATHER *-*Ottf"*DA?*T.
Forecast - fat? Thursday .-ind Friday: .
Virginia?Fair Thursday. Inc-**aeiD*g
cloudiness - Friday, threatening hi th?
afternoon : light variable winds, becoming
easterly;
North and South Carolina?Fair Thurs?
day, increasing cloudiness Friday: light
variable -winds.
PRICE TWO CENTS.
MANAGEMENT OF/
STATE LIBR/RY
-:- /
Bill to Take Institution
Out of Politics. --
BE OFFERED /TO-DAY.
Provisions of Important Measure
Drawn by Mr, Patteson.
?MCREASE ITS USEFULNESS.
Board of Trustees Elective by Board
of Education ?o he iuTControl In?
stead of Secretary of Coiuiiioii
>\calili and Legislative Com
?nitWHi?Bona Fide Libra
I'ian Provided For.
? ?measure which Is. sure to attract
Twdespread interest will bo introduced In
the House of Delegates to-day by Mr. S.
S. P. Patteson, o? this city, who has
summed up th?: results of a large amount
of research, investigation and conference
with feilow lawyers in a bill designed to
take the State Library and Librarian out
of politics, and to increase tiie practical
tiseiulness of the institution.
The Code of Virginia constitutes the
- Secretary of the Commonwealth State
Librarian also, and g?ves that official at?
roci supervision and control of the Libra?
ry, responsible to a Library Committee
of the General Assembly. In actual prac
tlc???, the Library is in charge of a gen?
tleman nominally known as a clerk in the
office of the Secretary o? the Common?
wealth, who has as his assistant a door?
keeper, who receives ?30 per month. The
gentleman performing the function of Li
jM-ariaii, who happens to be Mr. W. ??.
Scott, receives, it is stated, ?1.200 per an?
num.
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.
Mr. Pattcson's bill, providing for the
rmanagement of the iState Library, creates
i? Board of Trustees, transierring to them
the powers of the Secretary of tne Com?
monwealth under chapter IS of the Code
of Virginia USS7). arid repeals section ilil
of the Code.
?Paragraph 1 ot Mr. Pattcson's bill
reads:
? "Be it enacted lay the General Assem?
bly of Virginia, that t-he State "Library
.shall be under the management and con?
trol of live trustees, citizens of this Sta?>e,
to be elected by the Board of Education
?during November, nineteen hundred, or
as soon thereafter as possible, who shall
be known as Board of Trustees of the
. ?State Library. One of said truste?1? shall
?be elected by said Board for a term of
one year, one for two years, one fur ihrc.e
years, one for four years, and one for live
years: tne terms for said trustees to be
. gin on January lirst, nineteen hundred
and one. They shall receive no compen
? sation of any kind for their services."
THE LIBRARIAN.
The trustees, it is provided, shall, in
Marcii, 3901, elect a Librarian, who, sub?
ject to the orders of said trustees, shall
have charge and management of the
State Library and the rooms provided
for it. He shall hold office for a term of
four years, .but shall be removable at any
time for cause by said trustees. He shall
receive a salary of two thousand dollars
per year, payable monthly.
The trustees are empowered to elect a
"clerk or Assistant? Librarian." who shall
hold office for one year, and who shall
Toe subject to the orders of the Librarian
and the trustees. His compensation is
ffxea at $!?0 per year.
TO BE BONDED OFFICER,
The Librarian ij required, under the
provisions of the bill, to give bond in the
penalty of $10,??) for proper custody of the
books, maps, documents, etc., of the Li?
brary, and fcr the faithful performanci.?
of his duties. He shall accounts for and
pay over all moneys which may come
into his hands as Librarian. He shall
make such purchases and do such other
things as the trustees may direct within
the scope of their powers.
The clerk or Assistant Librarian is re?
quired to give bond in the penalty of
$5,1)00.
EXTEND USE OF LIBRARY.
An important provision is made in para?
graph seven of the bill, concerning rules
and regulations for the government of
the Library, in which it is provided that
"suitable provision shall be made for th?
loan of the books to persons engaged in
ecientilic, histori?ral or literary pursuits
in any county, city or town in the State,
provided, that the rights of the State
are properly guarded where the books are
bo loaned." Touching this matter the
Code provides that "the judges of the
Court of Appeals, the Governor, the At?
torney-General, reporter of the Court of
Appeals, members of the General As?
sembly, and such other officers of gov?
ernment as the Library Committee may
drem proper, shall be allowed to use the
Library."
Provision is made for the submission
of an annual printed report by the Li?
brarian, showing the conduct and affairs
of the office for the preceding twelve
months.
SULZER'S RESOLUTION
Offered in House Yesterday and Re?
ferred to Committee.
"WASHINGTON. Jan. 3.?Representative
Sulzer. of New York, offered the following
resolution in the House to-day:
"Resolved. That the Secretary of the
Treasury be. and he hereby is, directed
to furnish the House of Representatives
as soon as possible with the following in?
formation:
"1. All letters, agreements, papers or
??documents between the Treasury Depart?
ment of the Unlt??d States or any person
connectfid therewith, and rhe National Ciiy
Bank and the Hanover National Bank of
the City of New York, or any person act?
ing for them or either of them, since the
fourth day of March, 1S97, relating to the
depositing of public funds, bonds" or reve?
nues. In said bank, or banks, or any other
relations or business tranactlons now ex?
isting or heretofore had between the gov?
ernment and the aaid banks, or either of
them. /
, "? The amount of public money, bonds.
or revenue deposited with said banks or
either of them, by the government, for
.what length of time, and the reasons
therefor, and whether eaid banks or either
of them, have paid the -government any
interest on ?aid deposits, and If so how
much, and all other Information concern?
ing the name, or in" any way relating
thereto.*'
The resolution wa? referred to the Com
?mittee on" Ways and Means. It will prob?
ably be reported back from the Ways and
, Meane Committee to the:House to-morrow
? to admit specl&c reference
to two banks and refer generally to all
banks. I
The committee?, will m<?et prior to the
Pession of the House to-morrow to adopt
this courte.
It is paid that tho resolution will pass
without objection.
PETTIGREW RESOLUTION.
To Place Responsibility for Be*-riiinin??
of Hostilities in Philippine.-'?
WASHINGTON. Jan. 3.?Senator Petti
srrew to-day ottered, the following resolu?
tion, which went over under objection:
"Resolvea. That the Secretary of War
ho. and he is hereby ditectcd to inform
the Senate whether General Torres, one
of the officers of the Philippine army,
came to General Otis with a Hag of truce
on February 5. 1$?d, the day after the
lighting commenced between our forces
and those of Aguinaldo, and stated to
?General Otis that Aguinaldo declared
that lighting had been begun accident?
ally and was not authorized by Aguin?
aldo, and that Aguinaldo wished to have
it stopped, and that to bring about a
conclusion of hostilities he proposed the
establishment of a neutral zone between
tho two armies o? a width that would
bo agreeable to General Otis so that
during the peace negotiations there might
he no further danger of confile*, between
the two armies, and whether General
Otis replied that fighting having once
begun must go on to the grim end.
"Was General Otis directed by the Sec?
retary of War to make such an answer?
Did General Otis teleraph the Secretary
of War on February P, 1$3?, as follows:
'* 'Aguinaldo now applies for a cessa?
tion of hostilities and conference.: have
?deellned to answer;* and did General
Otis afterwards'repiy that ho was di?
rected by the Secretary of AYar, and
what answer, if any. did he or the Sec?
retary of War make to the application
to cease fighting?"
BRIGADIER GENERALS.'
The President yesterday Nominated
Yoimjr, Lud low ami Macinimi?.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 3.?Tho President
to-day sent the following nominations to
tho S?gnate:
To be United States Consul?Aionzo C.
Yates, of Virginia, at Patras, transierr<xi
to Martininue.
War?Brigadier-General J. ?. Bates to
be major-general of volunteers; Briga?
dier-General Lloyd Wheatnn to be major
general of volunteers by brevet.
To be Brigadier-Generals?Colonel S. B.
M. Toting, Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur
Mac-Arthur, ?Lieutenant-Colonel William
Ludlow.
GOLD AND SILVER.
Amendment Offered to Financial Bill
for Coinage of* Both Metals.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.?Senator Chand?
ler, of New Hampshire, to-day offered an
amendment to the Financial Bill, de?
claring it" to be the policy of the United
States to continue the use of both gold
and silver as standard money and ?? coin
both gold ami silver; providing for inter?
national agreement, or safe-guard of
Legislation to ensure maintainance of
the parity: and for the appointment of
commissioners to an International con?
ference.
FOR LONG TERM
The Result of the Contest for the
Short Term as Senator From
Mississippi is Uncertain.
JACKSON, MISS., Jan. 3.?The Demo?
crats of the State Legislature held a
caucus in tiie Senate Chamber to-ni*;ht
and unanimously nominated Ansel man J.
McLaurin, whose term of Governor will
soon expire, for the long term in the
United States Senate.
The total membership of both houses
is ITS, and 320 members were present
at the caucus. It is more than probable
that the name of "Private John Allen" will
not be presented.
THE SHORT TER-?G.
Who will be the winner in the con?
test for the short term United States sen
atorshlp from Mississippi is to-night an
open question. There were several cau?
cuses of the .Sullivan men to-day. The
claim put forth by them several ?lays
ago -was that their* men would have a
majority of 38. At this morning's caucus
It was seen that the majority had narrow?
ed' down to twelve, and at a later hour
'to-night Senator Sullivan's supporters
claim he Will receive a majority of six on
joint ballot.
The sensational charge brought against
Mr. Sullivan during the past three months
have apparently had some effect, and it
is believed that he will have a hard fight
to deteat iLowry.
Many rumors _are afloat, among them
being one to the effect that a portion of
the instructed vote is prepared to bolt.
Little credence can be placed in the story,
as the individual members who are sup?
posed t?i be party to the scheme, deny
that they have any such intentions.
It has not yet been decided when the
election of the short term senator will be
brought before the joint session.
AFFAIRS OF PACE COMPANY.
Believed That the Corporation Will
Soon lie in Good Shape.
The annoumement of a temporary
embarrassment in the affairs of the Pace
Pork Packing Company, which has sus?
pended operations on the abattoir in the
West End. was read with a great deal
of interest yestorday. The universal hope
was expressed that the company wo'old
very shortly reorganize and continue
prosecution of th?; enterprise.
The only question raised was whether
those who had been counted upon for
subscriptions to bonds /of the company
are absolutely sincere in pleading
stringency of the money market as a
reason for not taking bonds now, or
whether the refusal to make subscriptions
is for other reasons.
There is no reason to believe, however,
that the gentlemen are not In earnest.
and that they will fall to come forward
when the money market has become
easier.
It Is stated to be undoubtedly true that
it is a matter of difficulty to obtain mon?
ey, even on good security, since the
flurry In the money market several weeks
ago.
A Freijthc Wreck.
HAMLET. N. C, Jan. 3.?Special?Lost
night, about 8 o'clock, a freight train was
wrecked. near Pee Dee, a. station about
twelve miles below here, oh the
Seaboard Air-Line railroad. The wreck
was caused by the train breaking at-art
and the two.parts afterward runninc to?
gether. Several passengers, who were in
tho caboose car, were bruised and much
shaken up. thou-rh no one was very se?
riously hurt The cars were badly broken
up and the: line completely blocked ior
I several hours. 1
COMMITTEE TO BE
CHOSEN BY LOT
To Hear Evidence inTay
lor-Goebel Contest.
FIGHT TO BE BITTER.
Very Sensational and Damaging Tes?
timony is Promised.
COLONEL-WHALLEN ARRAIGNED.
Magistrate Thompson Held Him. for
Franklin County Grand Jury, and
Fi.vcil His Bond at SIO.OUO.
Senator Hand to he Indicted
in.Louisville on Char-go
of Bribery.
FRANKFORT. KV., .Ian. 3.?The joint
committee? which will hear evidence in
the Goebcl-Taylor and the Peckham
Marshall contests for Governor and Lieu?
tenant-Governor, will be formed to-mor?
row. The law provides that the members
of the cornmiUtje shall be drawn by lot?,
three in the Senate and eight in the House.
The poilcy of the Goebel leaders will be
to push the contests to a linai issue as
speedily as possible.
Governor Taylor's attorneys are prepar?
ing not only rebuttal evidence to offset
tir- charges of fraud set forth in Gof-bel's
notice of contest, but, according to Sena?
tor Deboo, are going much further ..nel
attempting to show up counter-frauds "f
a glaring nature on the Democratic aide.
The Senator says that, among other
things, it will be brought out that Taylor
was robbed of over 2,000 vows in Kenton
county. Goebe'.'s homo.
SENSATIONAL TESTIMONY.
The Goebel side, under the Kentucky
c-ode of practice in its taking of proof, Is
restricted to the grounds laid down in the
notices of contest, but under these they
pi-mise very sensational testimony re?
garding the election in many counties
alleged to be damaging to many people
prominent in the Kentucky political and
business world, compansd with whicli the
Whallen alleged attempted bribery of
Senator Harrell is only a sample.
Colonel Whallen was arraigned on the
attempted bribery charge before Magis?
trate Thompson to-day, and held over to
the Franklin county grand jury, his bond
being fixed at $10.CC0. In the Circuit
Court, ?President H- V. Loving, of the
l^uisvllle Trust Company, was before
Judge Cantrill, charged with contempt for
disobeving tho order of the court, to turn
over the vault box alleged to hold the
S4.?0O whicli. it is claimed, was to be paid
to Harrell in tiie event he voted against
Goeb?l in the contest.
TO PRODUCE THE BOX.
Loving stated that he merely desired to
protect the customers of his company,
and his attorney moved to quash the sum?
mons against him. This the court over?
ruled. Thereupon a response ivas filed
to the rule for contempt and in this it
is stated that Whallen, Harrell and
Charles Ryan rented the box in question
and deposited something in it. the box
being sealed up and covered with ?vhite
paper. The Trust Company officials
were notified not to allow the box to be
opened except in the presence and by the
consent of all three parties.
Judge Cantrill adjudged the response
insufficient and ordered the box to be pro?
duced in court at 11 o'clock to-morrow.
It is understood the order of the court
will be complied with, a motion for an
appeal to the Court of Appeals having
been overruled.
It is said that an attempt will be made
to have Senator Harrell indieed in Louis?
ville, where Whallen's attorneys claim the
prosecution should have been Instituted
if any offense has been committed. The
charge against Harrell would probably be
conspiracy or accepting a bribe.
PLAGUE IN MANILA.
War Depa.. : nient Taking Steps to Pre?
vent Its Spread.
MANILA. Jan. 3.-3:50 P. M.?Tho
health officers have found a. native with
all the symptoms of the bubonic plague
in :?. house in the walleil city, where two
suspicious deaths have occurred. The
.patient has been Isolated and every pre?
caution has been taken to prevent a
spread of the disease.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.?The War De?
partment is taking steps to prevent the
introduction of plague in the Philippines,
and Secretary Root this morning called
into consultation Surgeon General Wy
r.ian. of the Marine Hospital Service, to
discuss the establishment of a quarantine;
system for the islands. It was decided
that the War Department should adopt
toward the Philippines a policy like that
it pursued toward Cuba in the matter
of protection of health, namely: Con?
fide the machinery of a quarantine sys?
tem to the Marine Hospital Service.
Surgeon-General Wyman has no con?
firmation of the report that three sus?
pected, cases of bubonic plague have been
discovered within the walled city of
Manila, but no attempt is made to con?
ceal the gravity of the situation should
the report prove true.
Still, it is said, a few sporadic cases
need not necessarily result in an epidemic
in the islands.
Surgeon-General Wyman^ says the dis?
ease r.o longer creates th? ?dread it once
did, because it has been demonstrated that
it can be handled by modern scientific
work. It has been stamped out of Alex?
andria, Egypt-; Kobe. Japan, and Vienna,
Austria. The methods of fighting it are
the siine used against smallpox?isolation,
disinfection and sanitation. The greatest
danger is due to its possible introduction
into new localities through ambulant or
walking cases which defy the surveil?
lance of the authorities. One feature of
the- disease, which is gratifying to the
authorities in view of the possible out?
break of an epidemic in the Philippines,
is the fact that its history shows that
it, does not attack Europeans as readily
as natives.
RIO JANEIRO. Jan. 3.?The bubonic
plague has broken out In the city and
neighborhood of San iPaulo.
NEWPORT NEWS TANGLE.
A Pisht on Between the Mayor and
th?*-City"Council.
NEWPORT NEWS. VA., Jan. -3.?
Special.?There is another light on be?
tween Mayor A. A. Moss and the city
council.
The controversy i? over the appointment
of Mr. T. ?halk?ey Hatton to .the position
of consisting engineer oli the proposed
paving.
When the question of paving first came
up after the bond issue was settled, the
council put everything info the hands ot
the street committee, instructing them
to employ aii^ngineer, should they see
fit to do so. Tne committee employed Mr.
Hatton on a per tentage basi?, and the
council ratified the'saction.
H.s Honor announces, however, that if
there is no other t-fay out of it, he wr-'il
get out an InjJupiiUon preventing the
employment of ??? Hatton. In view of
the fact that some^of the best attorneys
in the city hold that the city now has a
bind.ng contract With Mr. Hatton. it
would seem that this proceeding on th?
part of the Mayor would involve con?
siderable personal risk, financially; on his
part; but he dec-lares that he is willing to
take the risk and abide by the result.
The Mayor further holds that under the
charter the Commonwealth's Attorney,
who is now the City; Attorney, must repre?
sent the Mayor. It is claimed by some
in the council that? the Commonwealth's
Attorney can only.'.represent the Mayor
upon Instruction from the council: that
his duty is primarily to the council.
At any rate, the pv-ople here, it is prob?
able, will soon be treated to the curious
spectacle of the Sfayor instituting pro?
ceedings in behalf SJf the people, opposed
by the city councIFiin behalf of the peo?
ple,) both claiminr the services of the
Commonwealth's Attorney, though by the
time ail this happens there will be a city
attorney, to whom the same conditions
will apply.
President Powell,: of the Council, an?
nounced to-day th? appointment of the
special committee which will go to I??ch
mond in a day or two with the bills that
are now- being prepared by Acting City
Attorney Garrett, providing for certain
changes in the charter of the city. The
committee is consiituted as follows:
Councllmen Burcher, Ford, Hughes, Coiy
and Cooper.
Captain George W. Fitchett. First Lieu?
tenant J. H. Giikerson and Second Lieu?
tenant John A. Moss, of the Newport
News Light Infantry, have received from
Captain Barrows, Assistant Adjutant
Genera!, a notification to the effect that
they very successfully passed their
officers' examination, held recently at
Hotel . Warwick. One hundred and
twenty-six questions were asked, and it
is understood that the average of all
three officers was in the neiirhborhoo?! of
?? per cent., an unusually high average.
It is promised that the company shall
be mustered in within three weeks, and
eipiipped as scon as possible after that.
NOT GUILTY,
This the Verdict of Jury In the Case of
Howai;d Owens.
ALEXANDRIA, VA.. Jan. 3.?Special.?
The United States Court for the Eastern
District of Virginia! is In session here to?
day. This afternoon the jury in the case
of Howard L. Owens, of TVarrenton,' Va.,
charged with fr?.?.udulently obtaining
money amounting to $30 from Colonel W.
T. Hartz, of Richmond. Va., as instructed
by Judge Edmund Waduill. brought in
a verdict of not guilty. Colonel Hartz.
when put on the stand, testified that he
had been influenced 'in giving -the defend?
ant money largely by the belief that
he was the son of Colonel Ward, ?G the
United States Army; as the tiovernment
had based its prosecution on the ground
that the Federal u. ?iforni had been cm
ployed for the perpetration of fraud. Col?
onel Hartz's evidence killed the case for
the prosecution.
Owens was represented by Attorneys
James Campbell and George D. Wise.
In the Alexandria County Court, Judge
J. M. "Word pt'csiding, on Fort Merer
Heights, this afternoon, the jury in the
case of Howard P. Marshall against the
Commonwealth. which was better
known as the '-Military Road case."
the jury returned a, verdict . of
guilty, as charged with obstruct?
ing a public highway, and lined the
defendant one dollar. A motion for a new
trial was noted', but the motion was over?
ruled, and. it is said, an appeal will be?
taken. This knocks the private claimants
out.
Strike for Old ??-iees.
Nearly every man, boy and girl at the
Allen & Ginter Branch of the American
Tr.bacco Company, at the corner of Sixth
and Cary streets, went out on a. strike
yesterday mornir^-, and as a consequence
of It, all of the machinery In the big
building had to be shut down.
When the watchman arrived last night
all of the lights, which usually burned
until S o'clock, were out and hands who
worked up to 7 o'clock were not there.
lu fact, the building was free of em?
ployes and as still and quiet as it is at a
midnight hour.
?Several hundred girls are out with the
strikers, about sevfnty-five or a hundred
of whom live in Manchester.
'S'orno of the girls say that they will not
go back to work unless the former raV>
of pay is. re-established. They did not
seem "inclined to think that work would
be resumed to-day.
The grievance of the strikers, from the
best information obtainable, is a reduc?
tion in the rate of pay announced at the
first of the year, whereby, it is alleged,
ninety-five cents is paid where formerly
the remuneration was a dollar.
The operatives out on strike are em?
ployed in making all-tobacco cigarettes
and cheroots.
Marietta at Manila.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 3.?The Navy De?
partment, has been informed that the
Marietta has arrived at Manila
THE SEIZURE OF
British Government Has Not Decided
Whether or Not Food Stuffs are
Contraband of War.
LONDON, Jan. 3-?The United States
Ambassador, Jcseph H. Choate, visited
the British Premier, Lord Salisbury, at
the Foreign Office this evening for the
purpose of making the first official repre?
sentations on the subject of the Delagoa
Bay flour seized. Mr. Chcate received no
definite reply as the Premier informed
him that the British government had not
yet arrived at any decision as to whether
or not food stuffs were* contraband of
war. But Lord Salisbury assured Mr.
Choate that the commercial rights of
the United States would be equitably con?
sidered and that a decision In this im?
portant matter would be reached as soon
as possible. The interview was brief.
WORKING HARD.
Lord Salisbury has not only got tho
Attorney-General, Sir Richard \ Webster,
working hard on the question of the
Delagoa Bay seizures, but- he" is
consulting with the", ablest lawyers In
Great Britain. .
It was further learned that Great
Britain may lay down a new regulation
regarding?, contraband, making a dis?
tinction : between food evidently intended
for domestic purposes and food palpably
Intended for field rations. Under the
latter head might come certain classes,
of. canned goods, :
MOLTENO ATTACK
IS UNCONFIRMED
French Not Within Five
Miles of Coiesberg.
UNABLE TO PUSH ON.
His Request for Reinforcements-Dis?
pels All Hope of That.
CANNONADE MORE LIVELY.
Since Jo ? hen's Arrival Bombard ment
of Lati yam ?th Has Been Do?ii?;
G router Damage?A British
Supply Train Lost ariti
Treachery Suspected.
New Artillery.
LONDON, Jan. 4.-4:30 A. M.?There is
a complete absence of anything new from
the seat of.war. The report of the Boer
attack upon Molteno is not yet confirmed.
Apparently General French holds noth?
ing within five miles of Coiesberg Junc?
tion. His request for reinforcements dis?
pels any present hope that he will be
able to push on the crossings of the
Orange river.
It is expected when Lord Roberts ar?
rives General French will be ordered to
quit his present unsupportable position,
and to concentrate his command at De
Aar or Orange river.
As the Daily Telegraph says: "General
French seems to be in the position of a
man having a tiger cat in a trap and un?
able to kill it for want of a stick."
A dispatch from Dover Farm announces
Lieutennant-Colonel Pllcher has returned
there safely from Douglass.
Since Commandant-General Joubert's
return to the front the cannonade of
Ladysmith by the Boers has bten much
livelier.
Between December 12th and December
20th four shells killed one officer and 13
men, and wounded 13 officers and 11 men.
ARTILLERY INFERIOR.
The War Office acknowledges the in?
feriority of the regular artillery by au?
thorizing equipment of the new battery
attached to the London vqlua-eer ??-?r>s
with Vlckers ?nel Maxims, some of which
the Boers use. and by ordering KO of
these 12-pounder quick tirers built. The
officers and men of the new battery will
be supplied from the Honorable Artillery
Company.
Eight adt.itional militia regiments have
been called out. Seven of these will
serve in Ireland, replacing the regulars
sent to South Africa.
SUPPL?" TRAIN LOST.
LONDON. Jan. 3.?A special dispatch
from Rensberg, dated Tuesday. Jant:ary
2d. says a supply train without locomo?
tive was set in motion within the British
lines near Coiesberg, and proceeded so
near the Boer position that it was im?
possible to recover it. and the Boer guns,
therefore, destroyed the trucks.
It is suspected that this was the act of
a traitor.
The total British casualties about
Coiesberg in two days were six men killed
and twenty wounded.
The supply train, says another dispatch
from Rensberg, ran into a broken cul?
vert and was wrecked. The Boers be?
gan looting it and another Rensberg
frain ivas dispatched to the spot in an
attempt to recover he provisions. The
Boers opened fire on the troops and na?
Uves accompanying it, forcing the second
train to return after several of the na?
tives had been killed.
LONDON, Jan. 3.?From a source which
has many facilities of gaining inside news
from South Africa, It is learned that
Colonel Pilcher's occupation of Douglass
is regarded as merely the first step of
General Methuen's carefully matured
plans to outflank the Boers.
According ?o this authority, it is prob?
able Cilonel Pilcher, in conjunction with
General Babington's force from the Mod?
der river, will proceed to the near of
those Intrenchments which now prevent
General Methuen froni proceeding to Kim
berley.
Colonel Pilcber has only aliout forty
miles travel before he accomplishes this
end. and If this understanding is correct,
an attack by General Methuen and a de
termlr _d effort to relieve Kimberley may
be expected any day.
ATTACK JIOLTEXO.
STERKSTRCOM, CAPE COLONY, Jan.
3?Morning?The, Boers attacked Molteno
this morning. A brisk action is now in
progress.
NAUCWAPOORT, CAPE COLONY Jan.
2.?There was brisk fighting to-day in the
hills around Coiesberg. The Boers stub?
bornly resisted the British at every
point, -but gradually retreated.
The British hold the extreme position
to tho south and east overlooking the
town.
The hills around Coiesberg are num?
erous, not in range?, but in groups, mak?
ing it very didlcult to hunt the Boers out.
Sixteen wounded have arrived at Arundel.
LONDON, Jan. 3.?A special disi?ut-h
from Nauuwpoort dated Tuesday
January 2, says, the British command
Norvalspont bridge with two guns and
also command the Coiesberg bridge aad
that the Boers havo no way to retreat,
except by way of Normberg.
The dispatch adds that big develop
eroents are expected to-morrow.
Kimberley Dec. 26.?The -Boers last
night evinced considerable interest in the
Premier mine, using their .searchlights.
This morning they actively shelled the
fort. Tha Royal Artillery replied. Our
shells were well placed, and dropped amid
the smoke .of the enemy's guns.
Last night'3 storm ignited some of our
military mines, but there were no cas?
ualties. ,
Cecil Rhodes has supplied the Boer
prisoners with new clothing.
NOT ACCEPTED.
LONDON, Jan. 3.?At Lord CheshanVs
headquarters a reporter was informed that
the Duke of Maryborough's offer to ac?
company the Oxfordshire Yeomanry to
Scuth Africa has not yet been accepted,
in spite of the published statement to the
contrary.
It Is further said that It is quite lik_y
ho will not go to South Africa, as he al?
ready had a black mark against him on
account of being married and his success?
ful passing of the medical examination is
?oubtful.
The Pall Mall Gazette to-day announces
that Winston Churchill has been appotnted
a squadron leader in the South African
Horse."
BERLIN, Jan. 3.?It Is seml-offlclally
announced that Germany has not - pro?
tested asainsc the seizure of tha Bundes
rath. hut has merely.; requested that the
matter ? be investigated and settled as
speedily as possible. Friendly, negotia?
tion? In this direction are now proocediug
here, .
~L'02vTX>N, Jan. 3.?It has been learned
on good authority that Great Britain will
not take Delagoa Bay. The British gov?
ernment, it Is added, does not contemplate
any such step. In spite of? the clamor of
the press and public opinion upon the
advisability of so doing.
BERLIN. Jan. 3.?The German Foreign
Office Informed the correspondent this af?
ternoon that Great Britain had not yet
answered Germany's note of protest
against the seizure by the British cruiser
Magicienne o? the German Imperial mall
steamer Buhdesrath. off Delagoa Bay.
NO INTERVENTION.
LONDON. Jan. 3.?The Vienna corre?
spondent of the Standard says: "Emperor
Nicholas has assured the British Am?
bassador at St, Petersburg (Sir C. S.
Scott) that Great Britain need' not fear
Intervention or any sort of difficulty from
Russia In the present South African com?
plications."
This may fairly be interpreted as an as?
surance, including an indirect promise
that France will abstain from creating
difficulties for England.
PETER S. WILKES DEAD.
Was a Memuer <?r the Confederale
Coh-jro?*.?.
STOCKTON. CAL.. Jam 3.?Peter S.
Wilkes. an attorney, once a member of
the Confederate Congress. Is dead at his
homo here, aged seventy-eight years.
He was born in Tennessee and removed
to Missouri, where he graduated from a
university in ISTiL'. A week afterward he
was elected to the State Legislature.
During the last year of the war. Mr.
Wilkes was elected to the Confederate
Congress. At the. close of hostilities
ho tied to Mazzet, Mexico, where he re?
mained until about twenty-live years
ago, when he came to this city.
TUG RESOLUTE SUNK.
Goes Down in Boston Harbor After a
Collision.
BOSTON. Jan. 3.?The United States
tug Resolute. Captain George Loring. was
sunk in the harbor early to-night in a col?
lision with the steel ocean tug S-.varra,
and the Read Coal Company's fleet. All
on board are thought to have been saved,
except Engineer Henry Ottorborn. who had
not been found at a late hour to-r'rrht.
Tho Resolute tilled and sank almost In?
stantly.
HANNA WON'T BE CHAIRMAN
Will Give Way to Men Who Are More
Ambitious.
CLEVELAND, OHIO, Jan. 3.-?Senator
Henna declared to-day that although he
had teen urged to stand for the perma?
nent chairmanship of the r.?xt Republican
National Convention, he would not do so.
"There are other men." ho said "who
a-e mere ambitious than I and who value
that hmor more than J do. I will give
way to them."
He alio declared that he will be one of
th'i delegates at large from Ohio in the
convenue n.
? CAN.
1
Will Sail Tc-Day to Determine the
Most Feasible Route for the Water?
way Between the Oceans.
NEW YORK, Jan. 3.?The commission
appointed by President McKinley under
an act of Congress to determine the most
feasible and practical route for a canal
across the Isthmus of Panama will sail
on Saturday for the scene of its labor
by a steamer of the Atlas Line.
The members of the commission are:
Rear-Admiral Walker, U. S. N-, retired,
chairman; Professor Emery R. Johns?u,
of the University of Pennsylvania-, Pro?
fessor W. H. Burr, of Columbia Univer?
sity; George S. Morrison, civil engineer.
New York; ex-United States Senator
Pascoe, of Florida: Alfred Nobl?-*. civil
engineer, Chicago; General Peter Haines,
U. S. ?.; Professor L. Hupt, of the Uni?
versity of Pennsylvania; Colonel Ernest,
U. S. A.
A member o? the commission said to?
day the duty of the commission is not
to decide between the claims of the
Panama canal and the Nicaragua canal?
though It may come to that?but to de?
termine "the most feasible and practi?
cal route, wherever that may bo. Wheth?
er th?-:re is any route preferable to either
of those which have become so well
known we shall do our utmost to dis?
cover.
FULL EXAMINATION.
"We shall sail directly to Greytown,
whence we shall proceed to make a full
examination of the Nicaraguan cariai
route. Upon reaching the Pacific side
we shall go down the coast to Panama
and follow the route of the French canal
back to the Atlantic side. Alternative
routes will then be considered and the'r
investigation undertaken. We shall
be kept at the isthmus for
probably three, months. We shall, of
course, avail ourselves of all the bfst
existing means of travel but expect that
some of the journey will have to t>o ac?
complished on foot."
CROSSED THE WATEREE.
Seaboard Train Passed Over at Fivo
O'clock Yesterday Afternoon.
CHARLOTTE. N. C. Jan. 3.?A special
from Spalding, S. C, to the Observer,
says :
The Seaboard Air -Line train crossed
the Water.ee river at T> o'clock this evening.
with a train load of rails and material
and a private car of one of the high offi?
cials of the system attached, on one of
the most substantial and secure trestles
ever built in the South.
This marks the connection with the com.
pleted grading between h^re and Colum?
bia, and a force of a hundred laborers are
laying track into Columbia.
Amendments to Finance Bill.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 3.?The 'Republi?
can members of the Senate Finance Com?
mittee authorized 'Senator Aldrlch to pre?
sent amendments to the financial bill,
which he offered In the Senate to-day.. One
of them fixes the gold re3erve at JiZO.CCO.
(CO Instead of $1C-J,OCO,COO as in the bill it
se'f. The other amendments are for the
purpose of making more clear the Inten?
tion of the measure.
I'l-.vau at Hume.
LINCOLN, NEB.. Jan. 3.?W. J. Bryan
' returned to Lincoln to-day, after an ab?
sence of six weeks. He found a number
, of leading Democrats from other States
awaiting him. and conferred with them
in an informal way.
Mr. Bryan will remain In Lincoln unlll
Saturday. He la Interested tn the meet?
ing of the Fusion State acd Central com?
mittees Friday, and is to respond to a
toast Friday at the Nebraska Traveling
Men's Club. He will.leave for "New York
Saturday.
. To Repeal the.Stamp Tax.
. WASHINGTON. Jan. 3.?A bill was in?
troduced in the House to-dar by- air.
Lewis, ? of Georgia, to repeal Um ?U.*np
tax.
SAVED BY THE
BREECHES BUOY
Captain and Crew of
Schooner Hitchcock.
AFTER HOURS OF TOIL
A Desperate Fight With the Sea and
a Freezing Wind.
ALL WERE NEARLY DROWNED.
? Sas In the Line Caused. Each Man
to heSubincr^etl la theKoarii?};Surf
anil Suine Were. Alinole licatl
When Dra-rgcU Asuore.
The Vessel Will bo
a Total Los?.
NEW YORK. Jan. 3.?The three-masted
schooner S. P. Hitchcock, of Bath. Main-\
eleven days out. from Brunswick. Ga.,
ran ashore at 3 A. M- to-day off Mori?
ches. Long Island, and stuck hard and
fast, the boiling surf'washing her from
deck to trucks.
She gave the life-saving crews alone
the Long Island shore the struggle of the
winter, but every man aboard, including
Captain Solcnson, was saved by hard
work with the breeches buoy, after hours
of toil in the freezing wind that swept
in from sea.
The patrolman made out the stranded
schooner through the spray long before
dawn, and in a few minutes the Moriches
life-saving crew was down at the beach.
At the second shot the life-line was rire<l
over the battered craft. Her men made
the line fast, but in such a way that it
could not be worked from, shore. When
day broke the schooner was in danger o?
breaking up, and yet the line- could not
be worked.
IN THE RIGGING.
Help was summoned from the crews of
Forge River and Peainck. and w.g-wag
gtng and signalling by the international
code was tried, but to no purpose. The
crew did not understand. Every stia
broached over the doomed vessel, and the
men had taken refuge in the rigging. At
10 A. M. those ashore could see the men
work.nc. desperately over tue line, and at
last they cleared It atrd made It fast to
the masthead after seven hours of strug?
gling. Then the big hawser was run out
with the breeches buoy affixed. Jt
spannet! the 40O yards of raging surf. In
a twinkling there was a man in the buoy,
which dangied-at the schooner's mast?
head, fifty feet In the air.
al Itti ? a-_?? from na G*"* sa?r 'n -h?
line touched the sea,, and the man and
the buoy were submerged in the seas.
When they pulled the man ashore he was
half drowned from his stay in the water
One by one his mates, eight, o? them, had
to go through the same terrible experience
in the roaring, boiling surf, and some
were almost gone when taken ashore af?
ter their nlghr of exposure and their sub?
mersion when the buoy took them ashore.
The vess-.'l will likely be a total loss.
To-night she lay head on with- her hold
full of water, while the seas tumbled
high over her.
HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS.
Government Officials Recnmrnenil a
li a Appropriation loi? Kiciiiiioi.cl.
Tho government officials at Washington
are ?ioiiig what they promised tha special
cemmittcf: that went to that city some
v.eeks a?;o In reference to river and harbor
Improvements at this city.
Yesterday Chief of Engineers Wilson
sent to the House of Rrepresentattves a
report In reference to the matter. Tha
paper will be seat to the River and Har?
bor and the Appropriations committees
for tRelr action. It is recGmimenilcd that
tho sum of .$721,043.15 be expended in deep?
ening and improving the channel between
the lower city line of Richmond and th?
docks. This amount will be expended in
ailditior, to 'he regular improvement of
tha. riv?.r. Colonel Allen also urge_ that
the sum of ?200.0CO be exF??nd*?xl In the Im?
provement of tr.e harbor proper. In this
connection Colonel Allen, who is the local
engineer of the department, says:
"Unless some provision is mado to en?
able larga vessels ample harbor facilities,
many will require the aid of tugs to nravo
them down stream to a point where they
may turn. A turning area about 400 feet
wide by ?300 fwt long would greatly facil
i'.ate the navigation. Th<* area could bo
obtained by enlarging tho width of th?
proposed Improve?! channel by 200 feet
for a length of GOO feet."
Onerai Wilson concurs in all of the
recommendations made.
This means that Richmond wilt have
within a comparatively short while a har?
bor lieep and wide enough to? carry the
largest vessels?.
riant System's Now t? a nacer.
SAVANNAH. CA.? Jan. 3.?S. R. KnrXt.
the rwwly elected vice-president of trie
Plant System of Railways? who will ba?
the managing head of the properties un?
der ihe new regime, made necessary by
the death of the late H. B. Plant, took
charge this morning.
Mr. Knott was formerly vice-president
of the Louisville and Nashville. Hi?
headquarters will be in this city.
SUMMARY OF TO-DAY'S NEWS?
L?;caf.
?Work of the-Legislatur?.
?Important bill In reference to the
management of the State Library to be
offered in the House to-day by air. Pat
tesoi:.
-_r. Hawthorne to rep*y to Dr., Mason
on the-penitentiary chaplaincy.
?Executive Committee of the university
of Virginia to meet to-day.
State.
?One brother goes to the other's assist?
ance on the Ice, in Essex county, and both
ate drowned.
?Tne Dukes looking into the water
power at Kredertcksburjr with a view- ot^
establishing- enterprise.
?Rev. J? H- Butler, ot the First Bap?
tist church. Alexandria, resigns.
?the Petersburg railroad opens Its new
cut-off line south of Petersburg.
Genera).
?Lthtnlan Canal Commission to salt
to-day.
-^Governar MeLaurin chosen tor Ions
term in Senate from Mississippi.
?Sensational testimony promised In
Taytor-Goebei contest.
Foreign?
?Boer attack ? on Molteno is uncon?
firmed.
?General French ta not within ovo
miles of,CQltabers. _ ,:
