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MEN PEhiBH LI RATS Ninety Workmen Caught in (Slat ing Prison on the Chicago Water Crib Structure. 1EAP FROM FLAMES TO WATER. Hundreds of Persons, Powerless to Give Relief, Witness Struggle* of Laborers from Shore. Over three score unfortunate work ilsen lost their lives and many others were badly injured Wednesday morn ing in a Are which destroyed the inter mediate crib iu Lake Michigan? & mile and a half off 71st street, Chicago, used by George W. Jackson, tUe contractor, in the construction of a new water •annel. Estimates at the fatalities tanged from sixty to seventy. Ninety men, who lived at the ^rlb and Worked iu shifts were on the structure hen the fire broke out. Many of these were burned to death before they could Teach the doors. Others, their clothes aflame, Jfnped into the icy water re gardless of the results. A number, un *ble to swirr nilv beneath the surface. Otherp swam to cakes of ice to support themselves until the arrival of relief. Start* from Ponder Kxpluaiun. The fire originated In the powder magazine on the first landing, Many of the employes were asleep in bunks, and others were just going to work, when a Kheet of flame shot through the building. The alarm spread rapidly, ^'hicagonns who heard of the impend ing disaster were appalled when they learned that over seventy workmen Unfinished Water Tunnel. at the crib were completely isolated from the shore. Smoke could be faint ly seen puffing up 8,000 feet away, where a light mist lay over the water. Occasionally a tongue of red flame flared up. An alarm was sent at once to South Chicago, where the 'fire tug .'onway was stationed. Confined in a fiery prison, with all means of communication with the shore cut off and tiie icy waters of Lake Michigan all about them, tde workmen made a desperate fight for their lives* which was witnessed by crowds on the shore. As soon as the alarm was given prompt measures of relief were taken, but the quick spread of the flames in the wooden structure and the distance to be covered made these efforts all but useless. The crowds on the shore watching the distant blaze with its plume of black smoke, the squad of men on the adjoining crib and those working from the fire tug Conway, which had been hurrid through the ice floes from its station in South Chicago to the scene of the conflagration, were greatly alarmed wLen it was learned that three tons of dynamite were stored in the substructure of the burning crib. The flames spread rapidly, and it was but a few moments when the crib was a xnnss of flames. Hundreds, helpless to «M. wateteNt Owe* th« stow* lufc.'"1"* PEOPLE NAME SENATOR. Oregon's Republican Legislatuve Elects Democrat as Instructed. Governor George E. Chamberlain, a Democrat, was elected Tuesday by a Republican Legislature as United States Senator from Oregon, thus solv ing the problem of choosing Senators by popular vote without infringing on the Constitution of the United States. Popular will triumphed, backed by a strong people's lobby determined to see that the members of the Legislature carried out the instructions given at the polls. A suggestion of extreme measures for any violating pledges heljKMl keep all in line. It was also declared that the "recall" would be used on offending lawmakers. With the Republicans in a majority, many party leaders hoped to secure one of their political faWh chosen as suc cessor to Senator Charles W. Fulton, despite the voters' instructions, and a campaign with this object in view had been carried on, but without result. Tuesday's ballot was by the houses seperately, and the result was ratified by a vote in joint session Wednesday. In the House Chamberlain was given 34 votes and in the Senate 1!, a total of 53. or seven more than was neces sary to bring about the election. Under the Oregon direct primary law political parties nominate a candidate as the choice of the party for United States Senator. For nominee of the Republicans in the last election Sen ator Fulton was defeated by Ilenry M. Cake. The Democrats had only one aspirant. Governor Chamberlain. Prior to the June election Cake and Cham berlain campaigned for the popular SCENE OF THE TERRIBLE DISASTER IN LAKE MICHIGAN OFF CHICAfflO. The Crib Fire Trap. vote, Chamberlain, Democrat, defeatin Cake, Republican, although Oregon is Republican by an overwhelming ma jority. QUAKE VICTIMS SWAMP ITALY. Coat of Caring for 200,000 Homeleaa Kntliiia4e«l at $100,000 a Day. Italy is confronted with grave prob lem, the raring for the 200.000 persons made homeless by the earthquake of last month in Sicily and Calabria and who have dispersed not only to the interior of their native provinces, but have gone in great numbers to Naples and other of the large cities of the country. At pres ent, it is estimated, it is costing $1(N.000 a day to meet the simplest necessities of the poor, a sum which neirlier interna tional charity nor the State can long con tinue to hear. Furthermore, the bestowal of charity is having an ill effect upon the lower classes and many disorders are re ported to result. Get* WlacoMfit Central Poat. Newman Erb has been elected president of the Wisconsin Central railway at a meeting of the directors of the road held in New York, following the transfer of the road's eoutrol to interests said to be affiliated with the Minneapolis, St. Paul ami Sault Ste. Marie railroad. VrnmndR Bom* to Holland. Jose J. Paul, the Venezuelan envoy, had a lengthy conference with M. Van Swin deren. the foreign minister in The lingue. and an agreement was reached on the principal joints at issue between Venez uela and the Netherlands. This will en able the completion of a protocol, restor ing diplomatic relations. Peach Crop DatSly Uamasei, Reports to the IIo.ticil:ur.!l tion indicate that the peich crop of Ar kansas has been damaged thousands of dollars by storms and unusually severe weather "WHAT'S THE USEf BILLIK'S NECK IS SAVED. Sentence of Alleged Chicago Poisoner Commuted to Life Imprisonment. Herman Billik, sentenced to hang on Friday, Jan. 29, was rescued from the gallows when Governor Deneen, on rec ommendation of the State Hoard of Pardons, commuted his sentence to im prisonment for life. The convicted slayer of Mary Vrzal, who five times was granted an eleventh-hour reprieve, fell on his knees at the county jail and wept when the news from Springfield was conveyed to him. "Life imprisonment means liberty," he declared. "I shall now have the chance I have been fighting for to prove my innocence." Commutation of Billik's. sentence is due to the testimnoy and subsequent confession of perjury of Jerry Vrzal, who, with his sisters, Emma Neiman and Bertha Vrzal, were the only inem lers of the Vrzal family to escape death by poisoning. "We are of the opinion that even with the elimination of this testimony there is evidence to support the ver dict of the jury beyond reasonable doubt," says the pardon board. "But In taking into consideration statements later made by some of the Jurors we feel we are warranted in the conclu sion the death penalty would not have been inflicted." Billik. who is 42 years old and was born in Vol fort of Bohemian parents, was indicted more than two years ago for having poisoned flflve members of the Vrzal family. He was placed on trial in June. 1907. before Judge Alfred C. Barnes for the murder of Mary Vrzal. the oldest daughter, and was I Frantic Relatives of the Victims. found guilty on July 18. 1907. He denied his guilt and blamed Mrs. Emma Vrzal Niemann for his prosecu tion because he had incurred her en mity. "Impulsive insanity" is a new kind brainstorm. The Tennessee Night Riders are begin ning to see daylight. If the "foot-and-mouth" should ever strike Washington Things are still a little bit shaky in the neighborhood of Messina. The Senate seems to have blackballed New Mexico and Arizona again. Somehow, hanging doesn't seejn to be quite enough for a Night Rider. Japan might get some satisfaction by declaring war against the California Leg islature. President Castro considers it much more pleasint to be hung in effigy than in real life. Judge I,andfs thinks $20,000,000 worth of fining entitles him to a mt fn the Standard Oil case. Uncle Sam tells Miss Col-imljia that two a year is all he can afford of Merry W-dow-size battleships. Mr. Taft told the Georgia girls that matrimony isn't necessary. No but they all know it is very desirable. If they don't quit bothering him, Farm er Jim Wilson will pick up his scythe and mow down a few professors. When I'ncle Sam is sending those 3.000 house* over to Italy he might send along •was firm sad stable isad to put 'en 2^00 Vi/ "T/ f/*, TCSTIM GNY TAKEN TOO OOO WFTFTQ TWO SEA GIANTS VOTED. House Grants Demands for Battle ships to Cost $30,000,000. The war god held full sway iu the House Friday and the navy appropria tion bill, carrying $135,000,000, including $18,000.000for twoflrst-class battleships, was passed just as it cniue from the committee. The Japanese war scare was the sole topic, in the discussion of which the leaders on both sides joined In addition to the passage of the bill favorable action was taken by the com mittee on the fortifications bill, pro visions for coast batteries in the Phil ippines, Hawaii and Fort Travis. By a vote of HiO to 8( authorization was given for the construction by the United States of two of the greatest battleships in the world. This action was taken despite the opposition of some of the President's Republican ene mies in the House, powerful lieutenant of Speaker Cannon, and over the heads of the few men of both parties who sincerely boJleve it a mistake to go on enlarging the American navy. The ac tion authorizes the construction of two Dreadnaughts. leviathans of 25,000 tons each, carrying 14-inch guns, the largest on any warship, and the two vessels to cost when in commission nearly $30,000,000. The vote was ac companied by a patriotic demonstra tion on the floor and in the galleries, participated in by both Democrats and Republicans and significant of what t!:e spirit of the nation would be if a for eign war were actually threatened The opponents of the two battleship proposal, led by Chairman Tawney of the House Appropriations Committee, attacked President Roosevelt, virtually declaring that the present Japanese agitation was a ruse cooked up at the White House to induce Congress to vote for naval Increase. "I am tired of these annual wars with Japan, which always occur simultaneously with the consideration of the naval ap propriation bill by Congress," declared Tawney. "All the rest of the time our relations with Japan are friendly, but as soon as we liegln to consider the naval appropriation bill then we learn from the press and other sources that war is Imminent." DBOPS ANTI-JAPANESE SHX. Governor of California Says Objee* tionable Measures Will Not Pass. As the result of an urgent message from President Roosevelt protesting against the anti-Japanese measures pending before the California Legisla ture. Governor Gillett has announced that no bill of the kind will be passed. The Governor has authorized the fol lowing statement: "After conferring with the leading members of both branches of the Legis lature, I am convinced that no legisla tion directed against the Japanese will be enacted. I am satisfied that the people of California, and particularly the members of our Legislature, appre ciate the efforts being mnde by the Federal government and the represent atives of Japan to stop immigration to this country of Japanese laborers, skilled and unskilled. "There can be no doubt that the Jap anese government is acting absolutely in good faith in its endeavor to prevent Its people from emigrating to our coun try, and In my judgment it would be a serious mistake while they are so do ing to enact any laws directed against the Japanese people. This question is one in which the Federal government is particularly interested and its wishes should be carefully considered and will be, I am sure, by the people of this State." en. Germany'* Trade In Perreane. The export and import trade of Ger many for 1908, according to estimates based on the prevailing prices of 1907, amounted to $2,184,500,000 in imports, which is a decrease of $(0,250,000 from the 1007 figures, a to $1,701,250,900 i exports, a decrease of $04,750,000. Threaten I'aator with Death. Rev. W. A. Amis of Hot Springs, lead er of reform measures before the Arkan sas legislature, has received anonymous letters which threaten him with death. "Within thirty days," he says, "1 have received eeven aoenyaeue CRIPPLED LINER SINKS INTO ATLANTIC OCEAN Crew Leaves Republic at Last Minute and Finds Safety on Revenue Cutter. BIZ ARE KILLED IN COLLISION. Passengers of Both Vessels on Baltic Taken Into New York Hartor Through Fog. Six lives were lost and two persons were injured when the Florida of the Lloyds-Italiano Line cut her way through the sides of the Republic, the White Star Mediterranean liner. In the fog-bound waters of the Atlantic off Nantucket early Saturday morning. Despite valiant efforts on the part of half a dozen other vessels to save lier, the Republic sank at half past S o'clock Sunday night off No Man's Land, near Martha's Vineyard, while the Gresham, a revenue cutter. anl the Seneca, a derelict destroyer, were towing her to New York and the Furnessla of the Anchor Line was steering her aft. The Republic is sunk in 150 f"et o? water off No Man's l«uml, ami is g* «ie foiever. Efforts to raise her from fliis depth would be useless, captal* fWl by and his crew, who had returned to their ship when she was take® in tow, remained aboard until the last moment, when they were carried off in small boats and transferred to the Gresham. Meantime the Baltic carrying the passengers of both »!le Republic and the Florida, numbering more than 1,000, was making all speed to the port of New York. Two of those killed were passengers on flie Republic, as were the two injuted. The other victims were sea.mea. Seven hundred persons. In round numbers, were transferred from the ^2? Republic to the Florida, and then 1.630 from the last named vessel to the Bal tic. That this transfer of nearly 2,300 persons was effected without the ioss o? a singh? life is considered a mar velous performance, though the fortu nate occurrence of a placid sea and mild, almost springlike weather was an important factor in this work. Throughout all of Sunday the only information which reached New York or elsewhere of the situation on the fog-bound waters off Nantucket came fitfully ia the detached and sometimes conflicting wireless dispatches, but without these nothing might have been known for days. Thousands of homes would have been plunged into grief and anxiety but for the reassuring news thn^ the accident was not so grave as had been feared, and that the loss of life was smail. U. 8. GRANT ACCUSES BANKEB. FIimmIm Awnifii a* ••kauhr of $750,000. Homer (J. Tuber, former president of the United States Bank of Los Angeles, former president of the International Bank of Search I ixht, Ncv.. and now presi dent of the San Diego Pank and Trust Company, has been arretted, and will be taken to Pioche, Nev.. to answer to nine teen indictments Said to involve altogether $7.V).0O0. It is eharged Taber embezzled $40,000 worth of telephone bonds from U. S. Crant. Jr.. of San Diego. S. K. Williamson, cashier of the Lincoln Na tional Bank of Searchlight, was arretted simultaneously with Taber. Throw* Koblier Into Creek. William Cain, a miner, ."iO years of age, put to rout in summary fashion a holdup man who attempted to rob him not a block away from the police station in Denver. Cain seized his assailant and tossed him over a bridge railing late the bed of the creek. Rrym'n Dailiclll^F Swk* Dtvoro**, Ruth Bryan Leavitt. daughter of Wil liam J. Bryan, has filed suit for divorce from William II. Ijeavitt in Lincoln, Neb. The petition was immediately withdrawn. T. S. Allen, brother-in-law of Mr. Bryan, is the attorney for the plaintiff. Leavitt is now in Paris. «0,000 Actei of Grain RtrtflcA. San Jacquin valley, Cal., was flooded the other day by the greatest fresheta of the State's history. All telephone com auinication with the flooded region has been cut off. Up the river the water has destroyed 00,009 acne ef grate. OTJABD AGAINST WASTE. President in Special Message Tells Congress of Nation's Peril. President Roosevelt in a special mes sage to Congress urged upon the nation the necessity for conserving Its sources, aud told of the duty of the citizens of to-day to the generations come. The message transmitted to Con gress the report of the National Con servation Commission showing the peril confronting the country if the present waste is permitted to continue. "We should do all in our power to develop and protect individual liberty. Individual Initiative, but subject al ways to the need of preservipg and promoting the general good." aald the President. "When necessary, the pri vate right must yield, under due proc ess of law and with propvf compensa tion, to the welfare of the common wealth. The man who eerves the com munity greatly should be greatly re warded by the commTlnity as there is great inequality of service, so there must be great iuwjftality of reward." Ill the message the President review ed practically 4il the accomplishments of his administration and asked for the development of the inland watef ways am? for the preservation of the forests and minerals, besides making a plea t'fir the "square deal." SeOte of the striking points made in the message as showing the reckless v*a*te of the natural resources of the ration were as follows: Mineral production of United fUtate^ 15*07, valine $2,000,000,000 waRte more than S300.000.000. Available Coal Supply—1,44)0,000,000, 00(1 tons threatened with exhaustion hy middle of next century. High tirade Iron Ore—3,840,000,000 tons: threatened with exhaustion by mid dle of next century. Petroleum Supply—20,000,000,000 bar rels wastage enormous supply not ex pected to last beyond middle of present century. Natural Gas lhiily Waste- -More than 1.000.000,000 cubic feet enough to supply every city of more thau 100,000 popula tion. Fire losses per Year—#450,000,000 four-fifths preventable. Forest Burned Yearly—50,000,009 acres. BIG OCEAN LINER. DIAGRAM SHOWING WHERE IT SANK, AND THE CAPTAIN. Of 70.000,00,000 cubic feet of water aa* J?F. VEMUZ, C.UTTZB- v0 LM Loxxniffl *V /ZUClftTM V V, •*,*-/ Cmpt/i/# Ji/?zar or tji£ -xepumzhfv Map slum in .' t!ic pusit ioDtOf the R* public when It was rammed, the loca tion of the ships summoned to its as sistance by wireless telegraphy and the land stations that also got the mes sages for iiKsistance. Dually flowing into the sea leas than one per cent is restrained and used for muni cipal and community supply. Annual Mortality from Tuberculosis^ ino.ooo. Kstimated Economic Clain Annually from Mitigation of Preventable Diseases 1,300,1X10.000. fcnnetice Goes "Dry.** Over the veto of fJov. Patterson both houses of the Tennessee Legislature pas* ed the Senate bill No. 1, which prohibits tiie sale of intoxicating: liquors within four miles of a school house in Tennes see, and is in effect a Slate-wide prohibi tion act. It will become effective July 1, 1009. Cholera Ortp Not linoaenet. The promised extinction of Asiatic chol era in St. Petersburg by cold weather has failed, and medical authorities are agreed that it will require almost a mira cle to prevent a scourge of this disease ia the spring. New cases are developing at the rate of thirty and forty a day. Polity in Bank Kali a re. Jacob and Abraham Kapnar, father and son, hosiery manufacturers, and J. ft, Prettyman, vice president of the First Na tional Bank at Dresden, Ohio, which fail ed in October. 1907. were found guilty by a jury of misapplying the bank's iaadi and conspiracy to wrack the bank. Steals S2.73j Geta Two Years. J. II. Trimm, a railway clerk, pleaded guilty in the federal court in San Antoni^ Texas, to the charge of abstracting $2.TS from the malls. He was sentenced tfe serve two years in the leaven worth pen* teatiary- «r$ ,Mi' a* CHICAGO. Sustained gains in payments through the banks and a low commercial mofw tallty add further testimony te Im proved conditions. Despite the un favorable weather, trade activity r»» fleets healthy progress, leading distrib* utive branches showing a seasonal)}# volume and forwarding of general mer chandise Increasing In response to no* merous requests for prompt deliveries, Farm products show heavier market ings, together with larger outgo of breadstuffs. A shortage of hogs r». eeived adversely affects the live stoclg aggregate, aud prices of the principal cereals and provisions average higher, those of hog product recording sharp advances. Factory outputs contribute more tonnage for transportation and movements of raw materials run closer to normal. Earnings of the Chicago steam roads steadily recover and to some extent exceed those at this tlins last year. Failures reported in the Chleaga dis trict number 23. against 33 last weae, 30 in 1!X)S and 24 in 1907. Those witfc liabilities of more than $r»,000 numlwr 7, against 10 last week, 1G in 1903 sad, 8 in 1907.—Dun's Weekly Review 4? Prade. NEW YORK. Trade is expanding slowly bat stsaA lly, wholesale and jobbing lines noting some good orders for Immediate deliv ery and rather more confidence in plac ing orders for spring. Conservatism is, however, noted in many sections, and some markets report a feeling of dis appointment at the rate ef progress making. In the leading industries the ten dency is still toward gradual resump tion, but In few cases is the output to a good normal. Uncertainty as to tariff changes is still widely mentioned as a bar t# full est activities, this being notable espe cially in Iron and steel, where present demand is below expectations, and in some lines of textiles. Reports from the railways are of an increased merchan dise traffic Northwest and Southwest, but this is to a certain extent offset by restricted movement of grain to market. Business failures In the Us I ted States for the week ending with Jan. 21 were 307, against 319 last week. 408 In the like week of 1908, 252 in 1907, 276 in 1900 and 228 in 1905. Canadian business failures for thS •ime period numbered forty, as against thirty-six last week and fifty-one in Mils week last year.—Bradstreefs. Chicago—Cattle, common to priSMt $4-00 to $7.00 hogs, prime heavy, $4.80 to $6.4fi sheep, fair to choice, $3.00 to $5.50 wheat. No. 2, $1.00 to $1.68 corn, No. 2, ."Xe to 50c oats, standard, 49c to 50c rye. No. 2. 75c to 77c hay, timothy, to $12.30 prairie, $8.00 to $11.50 butter, choice creamery, 27c to 30c eggs, i n ah, 27c to 30c potatoes, per bushel, 06c to 78c. Indianapolis—Cattle, shipping, $8.00 to $7.00 hogs, good to choice heavy, $3.™ to $5.00 sheep, good to choice, $2.50 to $4.00 wheat. No. 2, $1.03 to $1.04 corn, No. 2 white, 58c to 60c oats, No. 2 white, 49c to 51c. St. Louie—Cattle, $4.50 to $7.40 hegs, $4.00 to $( .0T) sheep, $3.00 to $5.28 wheat. No. 2, $1.10 to $1.13 corn. No. 2, 59c to 00c oats, No. 2, 50c to 52c rye. No. 2, 77c to 78c. Cincinnati—Cattle, $4.00 to 06.00 hogs, $4.00 to $6.40 sheep, $3.00 to $5.00 wheat, No. 2, $1.09 to $1.11 corn. No. 2 mixed, 01c to 02- oats, No. 2 mixed, 51c to 53c rye, No. 2, 80c to 81c. Detroit—Cattle, $4.00 to $0.50 hogs, $4.00 to $0.15 sheep, $2.50 to $4.00 wheat, No. 2, $1.04 to $1.00 corn, No. S yellow, 01c to 02c oats, No. 3 white, 51c to 53c rye, No. 2, 7tk- to 78c. Milwaukee—Wheat, No. 2 northern, $1.07 to $1.10 corn, No. 3, 61c to 62c oats, standard, 51c to 52c rye, No. 1, 75c to 77c barley, No. 1, 64ip to 66c I«ork, mess, $15.50. Buffalo^—Cattle, choice shipping steers, $1.(10 to $0.70 hogs, fair to choice, $4.00 to $0.00 sheep, common to good mixed, $4.00 to $4.75 lambs, fair to choice, $5.00 to $7.40. New York—Cattle, $4.00 to $5J0 hogs, riO to $6.05 sheep, $3.00 to $5.00 wheat, No. 2 red, $1.07 to $1.00 corn. No. 2, Otk- to 07c oats, natural white, 56c to 57c butter, creamery, 29e to 33c eggs, western, 25c to 29c. Toledo—Wheat, No. 2 mixed, $1.05 to $1.07 corn, No. 2 mixed, 60c to 6}e, oats, No. 2 mixed, 50c to 52c rye, Mfc 2, 77c to 78c clover seed, $5.62, TRADE AND INDUSTRY. Soap men from twenty-four different points in the Middle West met at Bur lington, Iowa, and entered a protwt against increase in freight rates. During the last year L. A. Sweet of Martin county, Minnesota, produced and sold $2,000 worth of produce from his forty-acre farm, the greater portion coin ing from his cows. The independent glass manufacturers have decided to stand pat on die wag* scale made with their employes last Sep tember and to make no concessions. This means that 12,000 men on strike will re main out of work until they come to the terms of the employers. There are nbout 7,500 skilled workers who made the de mand for an increase said to average from 20 to 40 per cent. "Wash sales" on the floors of produce exchanges or chambers of commerce are aimed at in a bill offered by Senator B. B. Sunberg of Kennedy. A penalty of from $500 to $5,000 is to be imposed when one member of a firm makes a sale to another member of the same firm. William B. Dickson, second vice presi d»nt of the United States Steel Corpora tion, has been elected first vice president to succeed James Gayley, who retired several weeks ago. David G. Ken- of Pittsburg, who has been connected with the raw material deQiartment of abe cor poration, was elected second rjca jnsb dent «o succeed Mr. Dickson.