Newspaper Page Text
df jf r r$ J'NrTvff X C y -V LAST EDITS3I THUKSJJAY EVENING. TOPEKA, KANSAS, APRIL 11, 1901. THURSDAY EVENING. TWO CENTS. OOyliiGTIilS WAY Commercial Club Receires Ap plications For Enterprises. Two Jew Colleges Are Proposed For Topeka. FACTORIES ALSO APPLY Hay Stacker Company Asks For a Concession. Options on Santa Fe Land Have Been Secured. A Methodist colie is yet in the reach of the city of Topeka. Dr. S. A. Kmbrve, admnistrator of the will of Mrs. Chris man, the wealthy Topeka widow who died leaving the residue of her estate to be used to found a Methodist college in Topeka, said before the members of the Commercial club at a meeting in the Commercial club rooms last night that inasmuch as neither the Kansas nor the South Kansas conference had passed upon the matter yet that the report that the Methodists were not in favor of es tablishing the college in Topeka was ab solutely false. '1 was astonished when I heard, as I did," he said, "that Dr. Fisii has been forbidden to talk on the subject of a Methodist college for Topeka. I have even been told that Tojwku does not want the college. Now, Topeka has Tiot been asked whither she does or Joes not want ihe college, and the matter has not been considered by the Methodist con ference at all. "'Mrs. Chrisman left the money in her will to establish a college in To; eka an 1 that so near to the city as to make it helpful to the mercantile interests of th city. Of course it is hard tj Ret at the real worth of M'S. Chrisman's bequest for it is mostly in real estate, but I am confident after consulting with men who should know about such things, that her property will luraisli about $100,000. The will says that this shall be devoted to use in establishing a college in Topeka if an equal sum be raised in the city of Topeka and elsewhere in the state. "One man who nas been p.beral in his donation to Baker university says thit he would rather give $50,000 for a col lege in Topeka than to give $10,000 to Baker, and he has promised to give $5u.0jo towards establishing the college here, and says that he mi.iht make it $100,000 later on. 'Toe Kansas bodies of the Methodist church have not acted upon the ques tion. There isn't a region in the north ern part of this continent so destitute of -eal good college facilities as this. You must go five hundred miles wst to find a good college, an equal number of miles east and to the poles either north or south without finding a college of any standing. "We have too many colleges living a hand to mouth existence with not furr.ish one good university. Here is furnish on goon university. Here is Washburn college with 275 students. No room for any more. Baker with 600 stu dents is packed from cellar to garret. The demand for a college in this region to accommodate 2.000 students is plainly apparent and I hope tnat the Commer cial club will take some action to secure this university for Topeka. A college should be located where Tennesseetown now thrives. Thi3 beautiful part of the city should be cleaned up. I am rot in favor of having a city that Is main tained by one enterprise. We should have many. And this university will certainly prove a wonderful help to the city." The Commercial club meeting was well attended last night and many mat ters of interest to the city came up for consideration. The Commercial club has expressed its willingness to work for the establishment of the Methodist college here, but is waiting until a proposition Is made to the club in some form be fore taking the initial step in securing the institution. A SWEDISH COLLEGE. A proposition was put to me club last night by liev. Peter I'ersson. speaking for the redish citizens of the city, to Reeure the proposed SwedisJi college to Topeka. "It has been decided." said Rev. Pers non. "that a college will be erected some where in tne eastern or northern part of Kiir.sas and already the towns of I.inds borg. Smth Center, Salina, Manhattan and MoPherson are endeavoring to se cure it." P. O. Anderson of Enterprise who re cently struck it rich and made a fortune in the Klondike, will furnish the money to Luild the college with. It s estimated that the college will cost about jr.O.OOO and will have an endowment fund of $25 M'-'j. "The Swedish Miss. on Friends, the enomlnation under which the school wi'd be conducted, is the second strong est Swedish religious body In the T'nitel States, and it is thought. said T. W. Nyg.en, "that before this college is ere- ted it will turn out to be a larger in stitution than was at first anticipated." A committee composed of J. A. Trout man, A. Ahlstrom and C. E. Flerson was appointed by tie club to confer with the committee representing th i Mission Friends and endeavor to locate the school here. The matter will come up fr final settlement in the Mission Fr'.ends conference in the May me1tii'"3P l CASKET FACTO A Y. W. S. Bird of Boston, manufacturer of metallic caskets, who has been en- j deavorirg to locate in Topeka, has suc ceeded in intffresiii.it Topeka capital in his enterprise and writes the Commer cial club that he will come here soon to co -r-plete the arrangements for the es tablishment of his facTory COLOKKD WORKMAN"' COMPLAIN'. -V complaint has been made by the colored workmen of the city in regard to the alleged discrimination against col ored labor in the Santa F.; shops. A committee composed of A. L. Redden. Robert Stone and R. B. Welch was pp." pointed to confer with Geneva! Manager H. U. Modge in regard to the matter and reported at the meeting last night that Mr. Mudge was not awar that they were being discriminated pcraftist anil that he had begun an investigation of tho matter. USE TOPEKA MATERIAL. General Purchasing Acent W. E. Hodge of the Santa Fe in wtiting- to the Commercial club lr answer to a request to give Topeka merchants an opportu nity to bid on the material used in the new shops said that Topeka. merchants wil; be given the preference in placing all orders for material wheie the prices are even. SANTA FE LAND. ke ar,ta Fe skop committee reported J that options had been secured on all the land wanted and that as soon as the money was ready for use the deals could be completed. C. S. Elliott, chairman of the special shop committee made his re port and on motion a vote of thanks was given Archie Baird for his work in helping that committee. In connection with the Santa Fe shop matter the following resolution passed by the council was read: "Whereas, At the election held in this city on April 2, 1901, the proposition to issue the bonds of the city of Topeka for the purpose of securing the new A T. & S. F. railway shops which wa3 on that day submitted to a vote of the law ful voters of said city, having receive.! the required number of voters as provid ed by law. therefore, be it "Resolved, By the city council that the mayor appoint a committee of thiee counciimen to act in conjunction witli a similar committee already appointed by the Commercial club, such committee to have charge and empowered to act in all matters pertaining and incident to the selling of said bonds and all other mat ters in connection with the same." The mayor appointed on that commit tee, J. S. Warner, M. Snattinger, and 3. C. Miller. The chairman of the Com mercial club committee is Willard N. Hall. E. W. Benedict of the special Commer cial club good roads committee reported that the work of the committee was o vet It having accomplished all that was de manded of it in its securing the passage of the special good roads legislation by the last legislature. The bills carriel by that body allow the majority of abut ters along any road to petition the town ship trustees and through them secure an order from the county commissioners for the erection of a permanent road at the exoense of the countv. TOPEKA AT NATIONAL LEAGUE. An invitation from the National Muni cipal league for the Commercial club to make application for an affiliated mem b rship was received and accepted. President John E. Frost was delegated to represent Topeka at the next meeting of the club this year. The object of the Municipal League is to promote the study of municipal ques tions and to secure the adoption of the best practical methods for solving the most important problems in the govern ment of American cities. It is composed of 116 affiliated organizations and eight annua conventions have been held. The league has no connection with state or national parties or issues. HAY STACKER COMPANY. "William Pierce of Leavenworth, who manufactured the liuchey hay stacker in Topeka, was at the meeting last night to ask the Commercial club to help the company get a start in Topeka for one year after which it will be able to keep on its feet without aid. The company Is composed of W. S. Basinger and William Pierce of Leavenworth and W. F. Ev ans, F. A. Lewis and Bennet R. Wheeler of Topeka. The Leavenworth commer cial club has offered to furnish a fac tory rent free for one year if the com pany will remove there but if the Topeka Commercial club will make the same of fer the industry will be kept here. A committee composed of George M'. No ble, J. S. Warner and C. L. Wood was appointed to consult in the matter and if possible make such, arrangements as may be -satisfactory. The Commercial club received a re quest from the State Sunday School as sociation to print the programmes for their meeting which will be held in this city May 14-16. About 1.200 delegates will be in attendance. A committee was appointed with power to get up the pro grammes and haVe the same printed at j a cost net to exceed $25. WILL RECEIVE M'KINLEY. j The Commercial club will make elabor- ate arrangements for the reception of President McKinley and his cabinet when they visit Topeka. The club will have the co-operation of the Ohio club and the G. A. R. The president of th-: club, Mr. Frost, was empowered to ap point a committee of nine, of which he is to be chairman, to act as an executive committee in arranging the details of the j reception. This committee will have power to appoint sub-committees to help as they see fit. W. L. Osborn was elected to member ship in the club. John McManus turned over the sum of $3.56 to the Commercial club, the amount remaining in his hands from the fund of the street fair two years ago. Rev. JJ. M. Fisk. of the Congregational church, read an intciesting paper upon the needs of the city of Topeka socially, intellectually and financially. GOLD WAS ON STEAMER. Officials Say Missing Money Was Put Aboard the German Vos3eL New York, April 11. On being asked if the bars of gold stolen from the specie room of the North German Lloyd liner Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse.the discovery of which theft was made at Cherbourg, France, could possibly have been lost in transit between the United States assay office and the vessel's pier, an officer of the assay office said: "The bars were not lost in transit. They were placed on board the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, as our receipt from the National City bank shows. The amount carried to the pier was $505, 0u;:.90, or a little in excess of the amount called for by the bank. Frederick Bark ley, the trackman who transferred the gold from the assay office to the steam ship, was accompanied by two bank offi cials. He is positive that the gold was placed on board. The gold was piacked in kegs, each of which held between $50, 000 and $60,000. Several men witnessed the nailing and sealing of each keg. It was the work of clever thieves, for the precautions taken in such cases are ex traordinary." A representative- of Chubb & Sons, marine insurance agents, said that the underwriters would have to suffer the loss if it could not be proved that the steamship company had been negligent in the care of the gold. He hoped that the loss would have the effect of raising the rates of marine insurance. The policies issued by underwriters vary a littie in wording, but all companies offer tne same protection. An officer of the National City bank said that he could not account for the inert. He added that the gold was fully insured and that the bank would not suffer. REFERENDUM TOTE To Ba Taken by Middle of Roaders May 4. Cincinnati. April 11. The national committe of the People's party at St. Louis last December, provided for a re ferendum vote on changing the name to Populists, on public ownership of certain means of production and distribution and other issues. National Chairman Jo A. Parker has fixed the time for this vote at 2 p. m., Saturday, May 4, at the usual voting places. He has also issued a call for the national committee of th? midde of the roaders to meet at Detroit July. UNPRECEDENTED Topeka is Certain of a Perma nent Building Room. In Fact It Is Already Under Waj. MOKE GOOD HOUSES. Improvement Noticed in Class of Residences. Dealers Say That Rental Prop erty is Yery Scarce. MANY PERMITS ISSUED. There Hare Been 81 Since First of the Year. Work Has Been Commenced For New Blocks. "That the city of Topeka is enjoying a phenomenal growth," said Geo. M. No ble of the real estate firm of George M. Noble & Co., to a State Journal reported this morning, "none can deny. "And the best part of it is," he said. "that it is a steady, healthy growth. The city is gradually overcoming the effects of the panic and the business depression of ten years ago and the effects of the temporary boom experienced many yea.s ago. It is surprising to one who has not been, thoroughly in touch with the growth of the city during the past fev years when they learn of the changes that have taken place during the paat year. The changes and improvements of the last year too, are only the begin ning of an era of prosperity that is now sweeping over the country. The exten sion of the Santa Fe shops in this city w ill give an impulse to the general pros perity of Topeka that will be felt for the Jiext 25 years. "The movement of real estate between residents of the city as well as to out siders coming here is very brisk. There is a large per cent of people buying or building homes now, either outright or in the installment plan, who have hereto fore been renting. The loan companies are making large numbers of loans which show that a great deal of buying and building is going on. "The houses which are being erected are now beginning to be of a better quality and a great deal higher priced than formerly. This is an indication of growth. The man who began business here with almost nothing i3 now estab lished in a good business and has ac cumulated a sum of money and is now building a comfortable home.. Formerly the residences were built on an average cost of not over $600 but as the city has been growing this average has been in creasing until at present the majority of residences are built at a cost of from $2, 000 up. Just at present there are a num ber of residences, being constructed or will be during the coming summer at a cost of from $10,000 to $20,000. "A great many suburban tracts of from three to five acres are being taken up by the better class of working peo ple. Nearly all those who are working on salaries from $1,200 per year and up wards are now buying homes." A prominent real estate man and a capitalist said that in his opinion the next two years would see the erection of several six or seven story office blocks within a few squares of the state house. "These would of course," he said, "be entirely modern buildings and the first floors would be occupied by store rooms and the remainder for office rooms." It is almost impossible to rent a store room in the business d'strict of the city at this time. It is also just as difficult to secure a desirable residence. The real estate men who are renting residences have very small lists of houses this spring and most of the largest of the houses for rent contain not more than six rooms. Since the first of the year 81 building permits have been issued by Fire Mar shal Wilmarth. The building season has scarcely op ened and if this indication may be taken for anything it may be said that there will be more residences built this year than in several years before. Contractors and dealers all prophesy a larger per cent of new buildings this summer thaa has been experienced for a long time. One of the notable things that shows which way the wind is blowing is the fact that within tne past six months the bank clearings have increased to almost double what they were. The past few weeks have been showing clearings to over a million dollars per week. With this record Topeka leads all other cities of her class. P. I. Bonebrake. of the Central Na tional bank said today: "The increase in the bank clearings should most em phatically be looked upon as an indica tion of business growth." In this connection the following items of the growth of the city both of the past year and in contemplation may be of interest. New Santa Fe shops to be built thi3 year at a cost of nearly a million dol lars. Location of the branch house of t.e McCoimick Reaper company on Quincy street. Location of the Townsend and Dooley X-Ray and lightning rod plant on South Kansas avenue. Plant worth $15,000. Contemplated plant for the erection of automobiles by the Smith concern on Quincy street. Work has begun on the $50,000 whole sale house for Parkhurst-Davis com pany at First and Kansas avenues. The German Catholic church near! completed at cost of $40,000, at Second and Van Buren. The United Brethren church at Twelfth and Quincy, completed at cost of $7,500. Part of the IT. P. church on Fillmore, completed at cost of $2,500. Fiist Cumberland Presbyterian church in Potwin completed at cost of $3,500. Completion of four story addition to the Knights and Ladies of Security bguilding on Seventh street at cost of $15,000. Addition to the W. A. L. Thompson wholesale hardware house on Jackson street at cost of about $30,000. Proposed two story cold storage plant by the Seymour company at Crane and Kansas avenue. Completion of addition to Polk school at cost of $15,000. Completion of addition to Euclid school at cost of $3,000. Rebuilding of portion- of Stormont hospital destroyed by fire begun at cost of $5,000. Proposed addition to Christ hospital for 'the care of contagious diseases at probable cost of $20,000 to be completed this summemr. The John P. Morton fiats at Seventh and Topeka avenue in course of con struction at a cost of $5,000. The Chas. Wolff Packing company will complete this summer a fertilizer build ing at cost of $1,000. Also a smoke house at cost of $5,000. Also machine shop at cost of $1,000. Crosby Bros.' new business block on Quincy street to be completed this sum mer at cost of $13,000. Crosby Bros." addition to present busi ness block on Quincy street to be com pleted this summer at cost of $3,000. T. A. Reagle completed store at 93 North Kansas avenue at cost of $2,000. The Moeser Ice company creamery to be completed this" Eummer at cost of $7,000. Also engine room to cost $2,000. The Margaret WJggin fiats on Tyler street and Ninth completed at cost of nearly $10,000. The Willard Hall residence at Twelfth and Topeka avenue on which work has commenced to cost nearly $12,000. The Zahner residence already completed between Eleventh and Twelfth on -Topeka avenue at cost of about $10,000. The Guibor residence on Harrison street completed at cost of about $6,000. The T. J. Scott residence on Buchanan street completed at cost of $3,500. The completion of the Hurd office block on Kansas aenue between Eighth and Ninth at cost of $10,000. Heating plants for Grant and Garfield schools and erection of Lowman Hill and Sumner schools this summer will cost $50,000. Repairs on school buildings last year cost about $6,000. This year about $12,000 will be expended. A factory for the manufacture of me tallic caskets will be located in Topeka this summer. The Buchey Hay Stacker company is looking for a building to use for its plant in Topeka. The street railway company has se cured land upon which to build a new repair shop. Several capitalists are contemplating the erection of office blocks and a the ater. A new hall for dancing will be erected during the summer. The Vinewood Railway company has reduced the grades on the road to Vine wood park and has built a bridge across the Shunganunga. The Vinewood stone quarry has orders for more stone to be used in local building than can be gotten out and the facilities for transporting it are not adequate. Orders for more equipment have been given. A heating plant for the state house will be built this year. New electric lights have been added to those in use until at present there are 340 lights in the city. Current furnished by the city's own plant. Fifty-seven blocks of paving were completed during the past year and about twenty-five will be completed this summer. A state fair company is being or ganized to give a state fair at Topeka. Capital stock amounts to $15,000. One mile of macadam road was built In the suburbs of the city to experiment, preliminary to building more. The street railway company has made improvements to track and rolling stock amounting 'to several thousand. The Rock Island railroad built a new round house pumping station and yards near the Keith tract during the past year at a great expense. The grain elevators and millers have had the most prosperous year in their history, working both night and day during some months, A movement is now on foot to secure the Swedish and Methodist college for Topeka. RAKING 'EM IN. Gen. MacArthur Cables News of Further Surrenders. Washington, April 11. The war depart ment this morning received the follow ing cablegram: - Manila, April 1.1 Adjutant General, Washington Col. Acre surrendered Cas tillejos yesterday 336 soldiers, 12 officers and arms. This and surrender Col. Alva (at) Orangapo April 8 with 13 officers 394 men, 92 rifles, frees Bataan Zam bales provinces. THAT NEW BRIDGE. Commissioners Must Decide Between Gags Park and Martin's Hill. Tomorrow the county commissioners will probably settle on the locations for the two bridges across the Kansas river west of Topeka. One bridere will be located somewhere near Valencia and the other will be two to four miles west of Topeka. One loca tion proposed for the bridere nearest To peka is at Martin's hill, the other at a point on the river connecting with the road ' running- north and south of Gage park. The residents on the Sixth avenae road are anxious for the bridge to be lo cated on the park road, -and the promise is made that If the bridge is located there that the Sixth avenue road will be paved with brick 18 feet wide from the end of the city pavement beyond Gatre park. O. E. Walker, who has bought and remodelled the old Coville homestead across the Sixth avenue road from Gae, park, is greatly interested in the project, and he says that if the bridge is located on the Gare park road the pavement will positively be built. Three of the four bridges will be placed at points along- the river which meet the demands of the farmers salorse. The citv will pav three fifths of the JL-SO.OOO to be used in building the four bridces. The residents of the city are anxious for the bridge just west of town to be located on the Gage park road. Many residents of the city have mad: their wishe known to the county eommissi oners. With the bridge on the Gage park road and the pnvfment on the Sixth avenue road the usefulness of Gage park would be increased tenfold, and To peka people would have a. beautiful drive along the sandy bottoms of the north side of the river, across the bridge to Gage park and on the pavement to town. IiOomia Reaches San Juan. San Juan, de Porto Rico, April It. The Ignited States auxiliary cruiser Scorpion arrived here at 5 o'clock this mroning from La Guayra, Venezuela, having on board Francis B. Loomis, the United States minister to Venezuela. Mr. Loomis will sail for New York tomorrow on board the Red T line steamer Cara cas. He was non-committal as to the exact situation, saying he was not re called but was simply on leave of at setice. Fire Destroys Saw MilL Parry Sound, Ont., April 11. The Con ger Lumber company's saw mill with its contents has been destroyed by fire. Two hundred and fifty men "will be thrown out of employment, Loss $50, -000. SLOW TOJELIEVE British Pnblic in No Hurry to Accept Report That Peace Negotiations Hare Been Resumed. DEWET'S LOSS OF MIND News of Which is Sent Out From Time to Time Is Also Doubted in Tiew of Cur rent Erents. New Tork, April 11. A dispatch to the Tribune from London says: The report that General Botha has re opened peace negotiations lacks official confirmation, although one correspon dent, In sending the news from Cape Town, describes it as semi-official. The fact, however, that the telegram has been allowed to go over the wires by the military censor need not be taken as a guarantee of Its correctness. Only the other day Mr. Hunger scouted the idea of peace without independence, and as serted passionately that his officers in South Africa were of his opinion; but if there should be any truth in the report of the revival of negotiations, it is clear that the ex-president must have been misinformed, for it must follow that any idea of retaining the independence of the republics has been finally abandoned by the Boers. It is -entirely possible that General Botha does not find it easy to co-operate -with Dewet, but. repeated statements about the latter's mental decay contrast sharply with the accounts of the famous raider's foresight and fer tility of resource during his recent re treat from Cape Colony. COVERED WITH SHOW. Eastern Colorado Buried to the Extent of One to Two Eeet. Denver. April 11. The snowstorm which began on Tuesday and continued inter mittently on Wednesday, developed into a blizzard during the night. Throughout eastern Colorado and Wyoming the ground" is covered with wet snow to a depth of from one to two feet. No se rious damage has yet been reported. Railroad trains are arriving several hours late this morning. The weather has been comparatively warm. Should It become colder the wet snow will form a crust which will make it Impossible "for cattle and sheep to graze on the ranges, and in that event serious losses of live stock may result. f The storm has not seriously interfered with traffic on the Union Pacific, Bur lington or Rock Island roads. The Santa Fe train which left Denver at 3:20 a. m. was blocked by drifts at 4 a. m. Five hours of furious work were required to dig it out and it continued on its journey. Other trains were delayed two to four hours on the Divide. Alltheroadsareusing huge snow plows in an effort to keep their tracks clear. The mountain lines are running two engines and a great flanger over the worst sections. A violent blizzard is raging in the Cripple Creek district. The mountain tops in the Leadville district, especially between the cloud city and Como, are hidden in a swirling white mass. Boreas pass is buried. A correspon dent there wired as follows: "Snowing fearfully, melting rapidly, very high wind, bad drifts. Five feet on the level." The telegraph, telephone and electric lighting companies have sustained con siderable losses from falling wires. Street cars have been operated in this city during the day with difficulty. Colorado Springs, Colo.. April 11. The Pike's Peak region is buried under from two to ten feet of snow which fell in twelve hours, beginning at 9 o'clock last night. The snow is deepest on the north side of Pike's Peak and over the trans continental divide between this city and Denver. A gale blowing 50 miles an hour is drifting the snow and the Crip ple Creek mining district is blockaded. All trains are from three to six hours late between here and Denver. The San ta Fe is snowed under. By working all night with electric plows the Rapid Transit system in this city was kept open. The city schools were dismissed for the day on account of the storm. WOMEN WRITERS HERE. Press Association la in Topeka Today. The initial meeting of the eleventh an nual session of the Kansas Woman's Press association was held this morning in the parlor of the Throop hotel. The en tire time was devoted to miscellaneous business. An acquisition to the membership of the association is Mrs. Isabel Worrel Ball. She is a regular correspondent in the press gallery of congress, and is the oniy woman admitted, while there are 250 men in regular attendance. She goes by the title of "Major" among her associates in the gallery. Other new members voted into the as sociation this morning were: Mrs. V. Y. Morgan, of Hutchinson, Mrs. Frank Jar reil. Miss Gertrude Hill and Miss Anna Marie Xeilis. of Topeka, and Miss Helen Ball, of Lawrence, editor of the Indian Leader, at Haskell. Mrs. E. B. Aldrich, of Cawker City, the first president of the association, at the afternoon meeting read the minutea cf the first meeting held. Mrs. J. G. Wood made ft novel suggi tion to the effect that a short history of the -association be compiled, with a com plete account of last year's meetincr, with extracts from all of the papers read aivi a short sketch of the writer, which should be filed with the State Historical society, to be read at the regular banquet twenty five years from that time. The idea wa3 that'by so doing it could easily be seen what effect women will have upon the newspapers during the next quarter of a century. The suggestion was not adopted, but it wa. decided that a committee be appoint ed to compile a short history of the asso ciation from its beginning, and to collect all of the papers read during that time, to be filed with the historical society for the benefit ;of any who might wish to re fer to them. Threw Him Bowa Stairs. Paris, April 11. The Patrie today pub liphes a dispatch from St. Petersburg which says the Chinese minister there, Yar.g Yu, gravely insulted Count Lama dorff, the Russian minister of foreign affairs, during a discussion of the Man churian question, whereupon the count ordered his lackeys to- put the Chinese minister out, and Yang Yu was thrown down stairs and fatally injured in .the bead. ARUOURS GIVE A MILLION. Additional Endowment For the Chi cago Institute. Chicago, April 11. Armour institute. In this city, which owes its existence to the late Philip IX Armour, will receive an ad dition, to its endowmentt of $1,000,000, the money coming from Mrs. P. IX Armour and J. Ogden Armour, the widow and ion of its founder. The announcement of the proposed gift was a surprise even to the officials of the institution. It is expected the money will be used to extend the scope of the Insti tution in electrical and chemical engineer ing. The Institute is now in a very pros perous condition, having en endowment pf $25.500. 000; all of which was given by the late Mr. Armour. A part of the increased endowment will be used to extend the fa cilities of the institute, it being difficult for it at the present time to accommodate all the students desiring admission. An added interest attaches to the dona tion from the fact that P. D. Armour at his death failed to make any provision in his will for the school of technology, which he founded. .There was general sur prise manifested at the time of the pro bate of Mr. Armour's will that the in stitution which bore his name and which had been considered by his friends as one of his hobbies had been practically ig nored. It was asserted at the time that Mr. Armour, confident that his family would regard the school as a saered trust, had determined to leave its future in their hands without any hindrance, and It was said that the Institute would not be al lowed to suffer and to deteriorate by his heirs.' The truth of this belief was mani fested today. The donation will not In any way re tard the negotiations looking toward the affiliation of the institution with the Uni versity of Chicago. It is understood that the aim of J. Ogden Armour is to make the institute the greatest of its character in mechanical en gineering in the world. The money will not. however, be devoted to that branch alone. The civil engineering course par ticularly will be augmented. NOTHING SERIOUS. Minister Loomis Discusses the Venezuelan Controversy. San Juan, Porto Rico, April 11. In an interview today Mr. Loomis, U. S. min ister to Venezuela, said there was no probability of the United States severing diplomatic relations with Venezuela. Mr. Loomis will not report to Washington from here by cable. He left Mr. Wm. R. Russell, the secretary of the legation, in charge at Caracas. Answering a question on the subject, Mr. Loom!3 said he saw no necessity for sending the U. S. squadron to Venezuelan waters, though he admitted that It was possible this might be done. Venezuela is now quiet and there is no immediate appre hension of a revolution. The minister said he believes President Castro is cap able of handling the situation. He made no direct statement regarding the pos sibility of trouble between the ITn.iU'd States and Venezuela, remarking that le could not talk on the subject before he reached Washington, but so far as he knew the whole misunderstanding was due to the asphalt controversy and in his opinion it will be months before It is settled in the courts. Mr. Loomis thought there was nothing serious in the situation. TOO MUCH WATER. Federal Authorities Order Flow of Chicago River Reduced. Chicago, April 11. The Post today says Federal authorities have ordered the flow in the Chicago river reduced from 300,000 to 200,000 cubic feet a minute. Word to this effect came from Washing ton to the sanitary board today. The board will act immediately upon receipt of the order and the current will not be increased before the channel has been widened and deepened and existing ob structions to navigation have been re moved. Action on the part of the war depart ment was brought about by the protest of local river interests and the Lake Carriers' association, which since the opening of the big canal have complain ed that 300.000 cubic feet provided by law was dangerous to navigation under present conditions. Local authorities are apprehensive of the effect it may have upon the St. Louis litigation. With the full How to dilute the sewage carried down the canal from the Chicago river the board had no fear of the charge that Chicago was pollut ing the water supply of St. Louis. In view of the action of the war depart ment, the outcome of St. Louis' appeals to the court is doubtful. If the legis lature passes the bill authorising the commission to collect one half of one per cent tax to be used for the improve ment of ihe river, it is believed the cur rent can be increased gradually after September as the work of widening and deepening the channel progresses. Other wise, it will be four years before relief can be obtained. DESERVES A REWARD. Mother of Triplets Asks For Conces sion From the State. Occasionally it crops out that a. popu lar impression exists to tha eflect that the state of Kansas pensions triplets. Fond parents who are blessed with three cherubs at a time bethink the:n selves of this popular superstition and it is not unusual that state records show applications for the premium. In Governor Stanley's maii this morn ing was the following letter, badly splifd, from Mrs. Mary I.. Cook of Kinsman: "We claim a present from you. We have three little girl babies in our home. We think we are entitled to a. present. Tney are the only triplets in Kansas tlia.t we know' of. They are now one month old and ar doiri:; well. Ansver soon. We will send a picture." Governor Stanley sent congratulation? in reply and asked for their names, so as to have a cop or some suitable little token engraved for them. Increased Postal Receipts. Washington, April 11. The gross postal receipts for last month for the litty largest postoffiees in the country show an increase of 11.0 over the corre sponding month of last year. The most remarkable increases are 60.5 per cent at Indianapolis and 41.5 per cent at Louisville. There are seven offices whose receipts decreased, the most notable be ing Lowell, Mass., with 8 per cent. Kaltl more decreased almost one and one-half per cent. Xew Tork showed an increase, of 6.3 and Chicago an increase of 29.6. the latter being one of the largest of the increases. . . ONLY FOUR I,!, Executive Mansion (Question is Narrowed Down. Bennett, Noble, K ell am axr! Griswold Mansions in List. TRIP OF ISSPECTIOX Architect and Engineers Will Examine the liuildiairs. After Report is Submitted Se lection Will Ra 31ade. Between four houses of those of fen 1 now rests the choice of the ex'ini.r council in th? purchase of an extcut:-! mansion for the governor of the st.t of Kansas. As a Vesult of the huu' -hunting expedition ujwm which t). council embarked yesterday the process of selection has eliminated all but th- Bennett, Kellam, Noble and Griswul 1 houses. Twenty-six thousand dollars is th'; price set upon the Bennett and Ke'.lam houses; $25,000 is asked for the Noble an. I Gri?wold residences. The Giiswold house wad included in the list of four probabilities by a nar row margin only and ia practically out of the counting. It is said the rec I -tion room is lacking of the si. it H thought most suitable to the nw,H? of i governor's mansion. The Kclluni turns--is a handsome property on Topeka ave nue near the Griswold home: the Nob! . property is on Harrison street, just ''( the south and west wings of the rapitnl building; the Bennett property is I li ; most distant of all from the sUate housi beirijf eight blocks away, located at Lighth avenue and Buchanan street, it is the largest and has the Uug-j'i' grounds. The executive council met this morn ing and determined to eliminate all but these four from further const lcratiuii. The state architect and Btat house en gineer were instructed to viit thcni t n make a professional view and r"porl, alter which the council will luiv, per haps before the week is out. Tht former is to examine the construction of th buildings and determine what repntr and changes would be necessary. Tt" engineer will examine the heating pliin'fl with critical eye. A provision of ttie ap propriation bill was that the tmu should should be heated and lighted frnn the itate house heating plant, if thi-i were feasible. It will hardly h so in th case of the Bennett house, which is nwv almost certain to be chosen. While Governor Stanley exprci ?" preference openly, he cannot conceal th fact that the Bennett mansion has spe cial favor with him. It is cominKl!oi;s having fifty-two rooms, xituated it beautiful grounds and is an excellent property. It whs built in the Ivnini day at a cost of JTO.OOO. airs. Stanley is veiv much pleased with the Bennett hmua also. It is all ready for occupancy, prnc tically, which is a big point in its favor. Objections are brought up against t)i Bennett house, of course. Its rnm1 ness is the subject of comment, that thi grounds are low. that means of trans portation are wanting, that the huitdii is too big. It is facetiously uffestcl that boats be provided to nivltrate th' muddy way out to the place, tnat a srnn'l army of visitors can be stowed away In the spacious rooms, or there will b rooms to let. That section of the ci'tr will stand more buildinsr uo at present, and. on the other hand. It is ;xp.-ele 1 that the selection of this home won! f insure the extension of the street car line, the paving of West Kighth aenur on out to Buchanan street ar.d th" pav ing of Buchanan street j; w-11. The re moteness is also a point in favor of tlx Bennett house, for it is desired to hav it a safe distance fiom the politicians. Some members of th? executive coun cil favor building instead of buying. At torney General GnJard would rather a new mansion built, so that it s!ii"M exactly conform to the needs of a eta'-i executive. Secretary of State Clark ex pressed himself in favor t.f tilts plan sev eral days ago. The three Sheldon 1'iti on Harrison street, opposite the e ; wing of the state house are ndaptahl-) for this purpose. The property is In (! hands of a broker who asks Ilr.MJ for it. If it could be got for Slo.oiX) there wi uld be J25.000 left with which to l.tiild and :t is figured that a rew residence could ba ready for occupancy by Leceuiber 1. II EATING PLANT S I T K. Executive Council Has Not Made a Selection. For the location of the state hnii- heating and lighting plant the exexutivej council is giving special consideratieii to the two properties, No. KM Jackson street and the Jones property (three lot1--. situated north of the Ldison plant o:i Van Buren street. Ihe first named is occupied by a bride dwelling and the price asked is (!.;! -i. This lot may be small for the piiriios and necessitate the acquiring of an ad ditional lot adjoining. It is very close i t the building. Five thousand dollars is the price put upon the three Jones lots. The state architect and state bou engineer have been instructed to pre pare estimates on what the cost of tu? removal of the plant will be with ref. r ence to the sites favored. The ltr:i of piping is a big consideration. The is i mate for the two heat pit in their wood casings is $12 a font and for ti wire conduit $;s a foot. Kvery hfndr-l feet means a cost of $l..r.!Ki to start vita. There 4xe over H00 feet from the si.-i- hous to the curb line in almost any di rection so that this item alone nay in the neighborhood of -.","" to :.. The total appropriation is about f ':."'' and the council now wants to kno'v how it is going to come out. The rnlt-r is laid over for two weens until the esti mates and plans are in. Suicide's Message to Mrs. Nation. Indianapolis. Ind., April 11. W. T?. Carrow, a traveling representative of a New York firm of manufacturing diem its committed suicide at the Subhn hotel yesterday afternoon cr last nit1;!. His bodv was found lying on a ie-ii si a I writing indicated that he died from (! effects of poison and bullets. A note . . ri the dresser read: "I co to F-ek th hereafter. Tell Carrie Nation that rum and cigarettes are a damnation." Weather Indications. Chicago. April 11. Forecast for Kan sas Threatening with rain tonight in cast portion Friday; fcast to iici i