VOLUME 96.—N0. 67. PARIS PEACE COMMISSION. Americans Approaching Chief Ques tion Intrusted to Them, The Future Disposition of ths Philippine islands. They Are Well Prepared, However, to Take the Matter Up When ever It is Broached by the Span ish Members—The Question May Be Discussed at To-Day's Meet ing. PARIS, Oct. 2G.—The American Peace Commissioners held a session of several hours' duration to-day prior to the joint session of the two Commissions, which opened at 4 o'clock this afternoon. The Americans fully realize that they are approaching the discussion of the chief question intrusted to them, namely, the future of the Philippine Islands, and it may .lie taken for granted that they are welfare pa red to take the matter up it is broached by the Span ish Commission. The meeting of the Commissioners lasted an hour and five minutes and was adjourned until to-morrow. Both the Spanish and American Commis sioners were more reticent after this session than ever before. The Ameri can Commissioners appreciate not only their own serious responsibilities, but also the delicate responsibility of their Spanish colleagues, to bear the burden of whose duties here is now added the critical political situation at Madrid, which may compel the President of the Spanish Commission (who is also Presi dent of tht Spanish Senate) Senor Montero de Rios, to leave Paris. The Madrid correspondent of the "Temps," confirming the report that Premier Sagasta and the Queen Regent have prevailed upon the Minister of War, General Correa, to indefinitely postpone his resignation, pending the conclusion of the peace negotiations, says that they represented to the Gen eral that his withdrawal might entail not only the fall of the Cabinet, but cause the resignation of certain mem bers of the Spanish Commission, includ ing Senor Montero Rios, and thereby gravely compromise the United States. The correspondent says: "The net re result is that an open crisis seems to have been avoided until the conclusion of the treaty of peace. In any case, this has done away with the necessity of an ad interim government, which Wall lately suggested as likely to be as the only solution of the present diffi culties." As the peace negotiations are now nearing the discussion of the Philip pine question, the Americans feel that no stage of the proceedings has so demanded their considerate treatment. It cannot be stated to-night with cer tainty that the Cuban question has re ceived its last consideration by the Americans, nor have the Spaniards ac cepted as ultimate the United States' refusal to assume any portion of the Cuban debt. It may. however, be af firmed that the Philippine question was not reached to-day. but it may be dis cussed at to-morrow's session, which will be the first occasion during these negotiations of a joint session of the Commission, being held on succeeding days, which act is in some degree sig nificant. DISPOSITION OF PHILIPPINES. WASHINGTON', Oct. 120. —There are indications that the Peace Commission ers in Paris are approaching the end of the consideration of the subject of Cuba and Porto Rico, and officials here would not be surprised if to-day's pro ceedings of the Commission concluded those subjects, leaving the Commission free to take up the disposition of the Philippine. The Spanish case has been presented with an ability and adroitness that commands the admira tion of diplomats without regard to nationality, and even our own officials have been compelled to yield in tribute of respect to the arguments produced, but they have been of no avail in ef fecting any substantial change in the first attitude of the American Commis sioners, who are holding firmly to the line of procedure originaly outlined. It is expected here that henceforth, after the courteous intimation that has been conveyed to the Spanish Commission ers that it is time to regard the Cuban and Porto Rico matters as settled, bet ter progress will be made toward the final conclusion of a treaty of peace. Some apprehension has been mani fested in certain quarters as to the pos sible adverse effect upon the Peace Commission at Paris of an upheaval in France. It has been suggested that the Spanish cause is in such shape that th" Spanish Government has nothing to lose and everything to gain fiy any change that can be brought about. However that may be it Is the opinion of the State Department officials here that th*re is little danger of the situa tion in Paris becoming so acute as to Justify an abandonment of the work of the Commission on the ground that the Commissioners themselves are in physi cal danger. It is confidently believed that with the change of Cabinet in France the present disorder will sub side and normal conditions will be re stored. It is always possible that the Span ish Commissioners, in despair over their failure to force the Cuban debt upon the United States in any shape, may break off the sessions, hut this is not regarded as probable. i t j s believed that the Spanish program is to trump up as many points of difference 1 as possible, relying upon the sympathy to be excited among European nations by their dis pute of each point. This being the Spanish policy. it is expected that when the Commission takes up the subjects of Porto Rico and the coaling station in the Ladrone Islands, there will be many hair-split ting objections interposed by the Span ish to propositions from the Americans, just as many references or attempts at reference to Madrid, and just as loud protests over each little point by the Spaniards at the uncompromising atti THE RECORD-UNION. tude of the Americans as in the case of Cuba. No one knows officially just what the extent of the United States claim will be as to the Philippine Islands. Admi ral Dewey has much higher opinion of the Philippine people and the capacity for self-government than is generally supposed. He has represented to the American Commissioners that the Phil ippines of the northern group, meaning by that, first, the people on the island of Luzon, and after that, in order, Cebu, Panay, Leite, Mandora and Sa mar, are as a rule intelligent, practical and a most surprising statement, bet ter qualified for self-government than the inhabitants of Cuba. Admiral Dewey is as familiar with the qualifi cations of the Cubans in this respect as almost any naval officer, having had personal expenrience with the people, so that his statement is bound to have weight with the American Commission ers, But with all this, he has made no recommendation as to what should con stitute the maximum or minimum de mands of the Americans, and their de mands, therefore, are likely to be based upon their original instructions, quali fied by any change of opinion that the President may have experienced as a result of his Western trip. OFFER OF THE SPANISH COMMIS SION. " LONDON, Oct. 27.—The Paris cor respondent of the '•Times'* says: At to-day's (Wednesday's) sitting the Spanish Peace Commission offered a new counter-memorandum declaring their readiness, provisionally, to accept an article of a preliminary trea>ty stip ulating that "Spain shall relinquish all rights to sovereignty in Cuba without formulating any other claim," and to leave in suspense all remaining ques tions, especially the Philippines, The Americans asked until Thursday to reply to this new memorandum. This is regarded as a favorable sign, being a slight relaxation of the rigidity the Americans have hitherto shown. They are perhaps aware that the Cuban and even the Spanish bondholders are be coming alarmed at the strange turn of the financial side of the discussion in which Spain, the United States and Cuba, with extraordinary unanimity, all repudiate the Cuban debt. Nobody will be able to force Spain to accept the debt, for, apart from bankruptcy, she could only meet the liabilities at the expense of her foreign bondholders, who, by a strange anom aly, would thus have to pay for the in dependence of Cuba. It is not likely that the United States or any Power can or will force Spain to ruin herself by meeting the Cuban debt, and it will then either be a total loss for.Eu rope, or be paid by the Spanish bond holders. CATHOLIC UNION. Last Day's Proceedings of the Ses sions at Washington. WASHINGTON, Oct. 2b\—At the session of the Catholic Young Men's Union, C. C. Bonnell of Philadelphia read the report of the arch-diocese of that city, replete with the details of the work of the Catholic young men of that section. Charles Webber, Treasurer of the Erastus Bronson Memorial Commit tee, in a fitting speech, reported that the committee had decided that an en dowment in the Catholic University was an appropriate instrument to per petuate the memory of that eminent man, and he handed to Mgr. Conanty, the Rector of the university, a pack age which supposedly contained a check as the nucleus for carrying out these conditions. The Monsignor, in a brief speech, thanked the Union for its gift, which would be placed where it would do the most good, among the lay schools. Then he spoke somewhat of the work and scope of the university, of its popular features and its prospects for greater work in the future than in the past. It was a university, he said, where priests and laymen united as in no other place to teach the doctrines of the church and sciences under the in spiration of God. Mgr. Stephen, head of the Indian Bu reau of the Catholic Church, spoke in terestingly of his work among the red nren of the West, pointing out the great work laymen can do in this con nection. The Indians wage war, he declared, and he gave them credit for doing so. for they had been cheated of th- ir rights from first to last. Dr. I~augh!in. Chancellor of the dio eess or Philadelphia, spoke of his in t- rest in the Union, and his loyalty and <]• rotton to its interests and princi ples. Resolutions were adopted expressing a renewal of fealty to the mother church, and congratulating the Presi dent and people of the United States on the successful termination of the war with Spain. A resolution was also adopted calling attention to the small number of Cath olic Chaplains in the army and navy, and recommending that steps be taken looking to an increase of the same. The following officers were elected: President, Win. M. McGuire of Brook lyn; Vice President, Bernard M. Bo gan of Rahway, N. J.: Second Vice President, Daniel P. Toomey of Bos ton; Secretary and Treasurer, W. E. P. Gallagher of Philadelphia. A vote of thanks was tnedered the re tiring officers. The Union then adjourned to meet Rext year at Newark, N. J. Double Tragedy at St. Paul. ST. PAUL, Oct 26.—Late this after noon Dan Coughlan, a blind retired railroad engineer, shot and killed his young sister-in-law. Miss Katie Mar sinan, and then fatally shot himself. Mrs. Coughlan a short time afterward discovered the dead bodies, and then bet Use nearly crazed over the tragedy. The mother of the two women recently died, leaving her entire estate, about $1,000, to the unmarried daughter. Coughlan several times quarreled with the girl OV< r this fact. This Is thought to have 1,-d to the tragedy, to which there were no witnesses. Society of Municipal Improvement. WASHINGTON, Oct. 20.—Represen tative s in municipal improvements from various cities in the United States and Canada met here to-day at the Arling ton Hotel, in attendance at the fifth an nual convention of the American Sa clety Of Municipal Improvements. The attendance was rather small at the opening, hut many delegates are ex pected. The feature of the morning ses sion was an address of welcome by Hon. J. B. Wight, President of the Board of Commissioners of this dis trict, and the response by the President of the society, Harrison Van Duyne of Newark, N. J. SACRAMENTO, RAIN INTERRUPTS JUBILEE FESTIVAL. Heavy Downpour Throughout the Day at Philadelphia. The Great Military Parade Postponed Until To-Morrow. Tlie Railway Station Thronged With People to Greet the Presi dential Party on Their Arrival —A Dinner and Reception Ten dered the Chief Executive in the Evening. PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 20.— Presi dent and Mrs. McKinley arrived here at noon to-day, but instead of finding the city in the midst of the enjoyment of its peac. l celebration, he found a dreary, desolate condition of affairs, and many thousand citizens and soldiers were dis appointed at the interruption of ihe peace jubilee exercises by the rain. The day's program included the civic parade. At 5 o'clock this morning, however, rain began to fall heavily, and until 10 o'clock there was a heavy downpour. During the remainder of the day heavy rain fell at frequent inter vals. Early in the day the Citizens' Committee concluded to abandon the day's program, and to postpone the parade until Friday. The Presidential party was met at the station by a Reception Committee, and escorted to the Bellevue Hotel, which will be the home of the party during their visit. Vice President and Mrs. Hobart ar rived from Washington an hour earlier than the President. General and Mrs. Miles also arrived shortly after noon. There was a great crowd at the Broad street station when the Presiden tial party arrived, but the police Kept a c lear passageway, throusrh which Mr. McKinley and his companions walked without difficulty. A squad cf mounted police was in waiting outside the sta tion, and escorted the carriages of the party to the hotel. General Miles jvas accompanied by his staff and Captain G. Paget of the British army, who went through the entire war as a spectator for his Gov ernment. General Graham and h's staff arrived from Camp Meade tariy in the after noon. President McKinley was this evening tendered a dinner and reception at the Union League Club. The dinner was entirely informal, and was given by the Board of Directors of the League. There were sixty at the tables. President Stuart of the League wel comed President McKinley, and the lat ter responded very briefly, simply with a few words of thanks. Among those at the table were Vice President Hobart, Pos-master General Smith. Secretary Wilson, Secretary Alger, General Miles, Commodore Philip. Captain Robley D. Evan?, Cap tain Sigsbee, Generals Shafter, Whee er, Shaff'ee, Patterson, Sumner, Lawson, Young and Sickles; Private Secretary Porter, Commodore Carey, Captain A. Paget of the Royal British navy, Gov ernor Hastings and Mayor Warwick. At th .: reception which followed then? were fully 4.<*iO guests. The crowd was so great that the President was not even asked to say anything. He stood in cne of the side rooms, the line of visitors passing and shaking him by the hand. The Marine l and and the First Regiment Band and the regular on h' were engulfed in the River Galice. and all were drowned. Sixty Japanese Drowned. KOBE, Oct. 20.—The Japanese steam er Mijagala was sunk to-day almost immediately after having been in col lision with the Japanese steamer Kin shiu Maru. Sixty Japanese were drowned. Spain's War Minister. MADRID, Oct. 2)s.—General Correa, Minister of War, has been prevailed upon to withdraw his resignation for the present, in view of the difficulties with which the country is confronted. Two Americans Under Arrest. lima (Peru), Oct. lib. —Two Amer ican Protestant tract distributors have been arrested at Arequipe, charged with distributing papers contrary to the State religion. The Sta'e Attorney will apply for their release. Oscar Knapp Dead. AUBURN (N. V.). Oct. 26. — Oscar Knapp, senior member of the firm of Knapp, Peck & Thomas, publishers of the "Daily Advertiser," died of pneu monia in his eightieth year. COALLNGA OIL LANDS. Ownership to Be Contested in the Federal Courts. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 20. —A suit Which may affect the* title of thousands of acres of petroleum lands in Califor nia has been entered in the Federal courts by Attorneys A. H. Ricketts. W. H. H. Hart and A. R. Cotton, on behalf of the California Oil and Gas Company of Arizona, against E. O. Miller and the New York Oil Com pany. The case is to be tried before Judge Ross in the United States Cir cuit Court. The piaffrtttfr- corrrpany contests the ownership of some petroleum lands in the Coallnga district, in Fresno County. The Federal court will be asked to decide to what extent the diverse hold ings of the Interior Department affect the title of petroleum lands now in dispute because of different location claims; also to decide the full effect and meaning of the law of February 11. 1897. So important is the case that the interested parties declare it will event ually be taken beiore the Supreme Court of the United States. SAWMILL BURNED. Two Hundred and Fifty Men Thrown Out of Employment! VANCOUVER, Oct. 20.—Fire has left but a remnant of the Hastings saw mill, and 230 men are out of employ ment. The mill was one of the most complete on the Pacific Coast, having a capacity for 000.000 feet every twen ty-four hours, or iJ.OtXMXK) feet per annum. The very valuable machinery has all been destroyed as well as the wharf and company's mill. The owner is the Royal City Planing Mill Com pany, and the loss goes up to several hundred thousand dollars. Three lumber ships were saved by strenuous efforts. They were the American ship Kennebec, loading for Soath Africa; the British bark Gart more and the Chilean bark Elisa. They were in imminent danger during part of the fire, but fortunately tugs were in readiness close by and they were hauled out into Burrard Inlet. Tho cause of the fire is unknown at pres ent. ADOLPH GOETZ. Mystery Still Surrounds Disappear ance of the Stanford Student. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2b.—Mystery still surrounds the sudden disappear ance of Adolph Goetz, the Stanford student. The friends of Goetz have made every effort to locate him, and have called to their aid the Alameda police. Goetz came up from Stanford on last Saturday to visit a Mrs. Clark in Alameda. Mrs. Clark last saw Goetz at 0 o'clock Saturday evening, when he left her house, saying he was going to meet a friend on Park ave nue. Since then nothing has been seen or heard of the young student. Goetz has no relatives in these parts, but has a brother in the Fourteenth In fantry, now in Manila. Spring Valley Water Works. OAKLAND. Oct. 20.—An instrument w as riled in the hall of records to-day in which the Spring Valley Water Works ccnveys to the Union Trust Company of San Fi ancisco property to the value of $4.,(KKi. in consideration of fchfl issuance of 4,000 third mortgage bonds of .sl,(>lK) each. The mortgaged prop erty includes the entire system of the water works in the State. The war revenue stamps affixed to the instru ment amounted to $2,000. Railroad Commissioners. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 20.—The meeting* of the Railroad Commissioners thi? afternoon. Wm. R. Clark presiding, resulted in little but the transaction of routine business. At the request of Commissioner La Rue, the case of the Pullman Palace Car Company, which has been subpenaed to mak_> an ex hibit of its affairs before the board, was postponed until the next meeting, to be held on November 10th. WHOLE KO. 17,901). CUBAN SOLDIERS MUST DISARM The Only Condition on Which Ra tions Will Be Issued. General Wood Declines Assistance of Armed Men to Preserve Order, Cuban Extremists DispleAsed Be* cause They Are Not Placed in the Highest Offices at Santiago, While the Moderates Believe the United States Should Con-, tinue in Control for a Year at Least, to Prevent Any Foreign Complications. SANTIAGO DR CUBA, Oct. 2a—Ma jor Petit, in command of the United States troops at Manzaniilo and Mili tary Governor of the city, telegraphed to-day that the Cuban General Rios offers 200 armed men to assist the Americans in preserving order, merely, asking rations in return. General Wood sent the following reply: "Certainly not. The only conditions on which rations can be issued are the complete disarmament and dis bandment of the troops." Some of the Cubans here consider that the United States is treating its allies badly in not allowing the Cuban forces to remain armed. They con tend that the Cuban soldiers who have been lighting three years, who speak the language of the country, are better fitted for garrison duty than "un trained volunteers." The Cuban General Macro Rodriguez virtually voices the sentiment of the Cuban army when he says: "We thank the United States for the assistance It has given us, but the time has now arrived when the Cubans should be placed in the highest offices, and should be prepared to take over the island on the departure of the Spanish." Cuban extremists here are jubilant at the reported attitude of the Cuban Assembly at Santa Cruz del Sur, where the delegates, while expressing their i gratitude to the Americans, practically demand a distinctive Cuban Govern ment. The Cuban moderates, on the other a&nd, regret this stand, thinking it best for the United States authori ties to continue in charge of affairs j for a year at least, so as to set things going, and to prevent any complica tions with foreign Powers. j The foreign Consuls are considering the advisability of appealing to the i' avers to prevent a too hasty recogni | tion of the Cuban Government. General Wood is considering the ad- I visability of granting a hotel license |to any responsible applicant who would undertake to establish a first-class house in Santiago. General Wood is fully resolved to allow no more paupers to land here, and especially no more from the West Indies, a class entirely unwilling to do hard work. One schooner from Jamaica and one from Hayti, loaded with negro emigrants, have been or dered to return their passengers to ports of embarkation. Lieutenant Victor Blue, in command of the prize gunboat Alvarado, arrived here this morning from Guantanamo, and left this afternoon to inspect the wreck of the six Spanish gunboats driven ashore on July Ikl by the Unit ed States warships, with a view to raising some of them if possible. lb' consulted with Major Petit to ascer tain whether the latter required naval assistance. The United States transport Rou mania arrived here to-day from Man zaniilo en route to Guantanamo with Colonel Ray's immunes. Colonel Ray brought 5."..7.—The racing at Aqueduct was not very Interesting to day, for after the second race a dense fog set in and the horses could onl> bo seen at the start and linish. Results: One mile, Bardella won. Her Own second, Van Ness third. Time—l:4s. Mile and forty yards, Marsian won, Eistaca second. Merlin third. Time—• 1:42. Five and a half furlongs, Strangest won, Camatop second, Leando third. Time—l:oß%. Mile and a sixteenth, Sensational won, Edith second, Sanders third. Time —1:52%. Seven furlongs. Diminutive won, Kirkwood second, Tendresse third. Time—l:27y 6 . Six furlongs, TrlUo won, Harry Reed second, Midnight third. Time—l:l7. AT CINCINNATI CINCINNATI, Oct. 2(l.—Weather cold and disagreeable at Latonia to day. Summaries: Six furlongs, selling. Randazzon won. Flop second. Primate third. Time— 1:24. Five furlongs, Florisant won, Theory second, Schanken third. Time—l:o6%. The third race was declared off. One mile, selling, Eleanor Holmes won, Rastus second. High Noon third. Time—l:s4. Mile and an eighth, selling, Harry Shannon won, Zufalig second, Gcmez third. Thne-~2:oft One mile, selling, Kitty B. won. Dam ode second, Hampden third. Time— 1:53. Again a Merchant Steamer. NEW YORK, Oct. 20.—The American liner Paris, known during the war as the auxiliary Yale, resumed her place as a merchant, steamer when she sailed to-day for Southampton. College Building Burned. RYAN (I. T.). Oct. 20.—Ryan Col lege was burned to-day. Two hundred pupils in the building all escaped. It was one of the best buildings in the Indian Territory.