MINE DISASTER.
Fifty Lives Lost as tho Itosu'.t of
an Explosion.
The Worst Calamity In I lie lllwtow ot
tile New ttlver illlnitis IMatrlcf
ol West Virginia Is Recorded
-Tlic Work ol' Hcwue
Proceed* Slowly.
Hire Creek, W. Va., March 7.—The
most disa.struus mine explosion ever
known in the New river district oc
curred at the Red Ash mine shortly
after the miners went to work early
yesterday morning. Although heroic
work of the rescuing party has been
going 011 incessantly, it is impossible
to estimate the full extent of the loss
of life and property. More than 50
•dead bodies have already been taken
out and the number of the dead may
reach 75 or more. It is thought that
at least 4j miners are yet entombed
in the wrecked mine.
The scene of the disaster is between
this place and Thurmond, on the
Chesapeake & Ohio railroad and every
assistance possible was rendered by
the railroad company and by the ad
joining mining towns,
J. Fred Effinger, of Staunton, Va.,
the principal owner of the mines,
spared 110 effort in the work of rescue
and relief and his manager, Ferdinand
Howell, had all the men available at
■work in trying to clear away the de
bris and rescue the entombed men.
The managers and bosses of all the
mines in this district came to the
.scene as soon as possible and joined in
the work of rescue. It is impossible
to describe the amount of work done
by this army of men, but they were
greatly impeded because of the enor
mous blockade at the entrance to the
■drift.
The large heavy side tires of the en
trance were blown out to some dis
tance, together with a lot of heavy
timbers. Even mules were blown out
Borne distance. The force of such an
•explosion caused an immediate falling
of the slate ami other debris, so that
the entrance was filled UT> for a great
■distance and the difficulties in digging
through it caused delay in the work
of rescue. As many men as could
work at one time were digging away
•with all their might and were relieved
in short relays by other men, so as TO
■expedite the work of rescue us much
its possible.
The first successful strike of the
rescuers was about 10 a. m., when ten
bodies were recovered. Seven of them
•were dead and the other three were
«iying. As the miners were located at
■different places in the drift and the
explosion caused the following slate
to blockade the rooms in different
parts of the mine, the work of rescue
met with one great obstruction after
another.
At the mouth of the mine the scene
■was beyond description. The wives,
■children and neighbors of those who
were known to be entombed were
there in force and their distress was
most intense. While they were all
seeking to help those who were res
cued and to get the mine reopened,
.yet these bereaved people were for the
most part in the way of the rescuers
and had to be held back from the en
trance.
The mine is one of the largest in
West Virginia and was heavily tim
bered in fche different drifts.
Fire Creek, W. Va., March B.—The
rescuing parties continued work yes
terday at lied Ash mine. It is still
impossible to give the exact number of
the victims, or to identify all of the
■bodies recovered.
A report from the rescuers at the
mine last night was that 34 had been
taken out, 29 being dead and five se
riously injured. While the surviving
miners and others estimate that, there
•are at least 39 miners still entombed,
General Manager Howell says there
are still in the mine only 36. The es
timate of the latter would indicate
fhat theiv were 70 killed and five in
jured, and it is conceded that all of
those still in the rruine are dead.
EXPLAINS HIS ATTITUDE.
President tlcKlnley Tell* Why lie liua
Agreed to Sign the Porto Klcan Tar
iff" Hill.
Washington, March 7.—The Post
•■says: President McKinley, in conver
sation with callers at the White House
yesterday reiterated his belief that
the people of Porto Uico were entitled
to free trade with the United States.
He made it clear that his views had
undergone 110 change since he wrote
his message to congress. He still ad
hered to the sentiment therein ex
pressed. At the same time he said he
was unable to subscribe to the theory
that, the constitution followed the
flag; that the Porto ilicans must have
free trade as a necessary legal right
When he found tl«it the house deemed
it wise to impose a small tariff, upon
■condition that the revenues so collect
ed all be returned to the island, he
had yielded to the judgment, of the
house. The tariff, under such condi
tions, would be 110 hardship to the
Porto Ilicans.
He believed it advisable, at the ear
liest moment, to secure a decision of
the supreme court 011 the constitution
al question involved. Therefore, he
had consented to the nominal tariff
and agreed to sign such a bill. He
left no doubt in the minds of his call
ers —whom he questioned closely re
garding the drift of public sentiment
—that congress, not the executive,
-was responsible for the change of pol
icy.
KepubllcuikK Win 111 Omalia.
Omaha, Xeb., March 7. —With but
one precinct to hear from Frank E.
Moores, republican, is re-elected may
or of Omaha by a majority of nearly
1,000 over W. S. l'oppleton, fusion. The
rest of the city ticket goes through
with Moores, with the possible excep
tion of tax commissioner.
"Father of the House" IMes.
Philadelphia, March 7.-—Congress
man Alfred C. Ifarmer, "Father of tlie
House,"the representative from the
Fifth Pennsylvania district, died at
his home here laat night, aged 75
years.
THOUSANDS OF NEW BANKS.
Ttary Will be Organized Jimt an Soon
u |li« Financial Bill Ueconies >
Law.
New York, March B.—Advices re
ceived by local bunking interests from
small towns and villages throughout
the United States indicate that state
banks in till sections of the country
are preparing l to take out charters un
der the national system as soon as the
currency bill becomes a law. New
York banks are already making ef
forts to secure the business of these
institutions, one bank in this city
alone receiving more than UO inquiries
yesterday upon the subject. One man
from a western town told a bank offi
cer that he expected to start, eight
banks with a capital of $25,000 each.
Reports of similar preparations in
other sections of the country led to
the prediction by an officer of one of
the best known banks that 2,000 na
tional charters would be applied for
after existing restrictions were modi
fied.
The Evening Post says:"it was es
timated to-day that any one with S.'S,OOO
capital could start a national bank
Hurler the new system. All that is
required is $25,000 in 2 per cent, gov
ernpment bomls, which could be se
cured at ruling rates for about $26,-
750. These, representing the capital
of the bank, could be sent to Washing
ton and circulation for the full amount
of the capital immediately taken out.
The organizer of the bank then has
only $2,750 tied up in the enterprise,
but could take deposits in the regular
way. Whether the system can be
properly safeguarded under such re
quirements is not known,
"Such extension of the system is
expected to yield large profits to na
tional banks of this city, since state
banks at interior points, keeping their
balances with state banks or trust
companies in this city, will have to
transfer their accounts to national
banks (if they wish them counted as
reserve) as soon as the new charters
are taken out. This, it is thought,
may result in a serious loss for some
of the large state banks."
A bank president cited the difficul
ties of the present system as the rea
son why New York banks, with their
enormous volume of busine.-V found
it expedient to take out only about
$17,000,000 in circulation. A bank pay
ing 120 or 130 for a 4 per cent, bond
011 which only 90 per cent, of circula
tion could be issued would have to tie
up S3O or S4O on each SIOO so invested,
besides paying double the tax called
for in the proposed law. On that ba
sis the transaction would be decidedly
unprofitable, to say nothing of the ex
penses incident to printing, etc., which
would still further cut into the in
come. This is why local banks, carry
ing the greatest number of out of
town accounts and shipping millions
of currency each year to western,
eastern and southern correspondents
when crop moving demands cut down
interior money supplies, took out little
or 110 circulation, although it might
have materially protected their re
serves during yeriods of money strin
gency.
BESSEMER STEEL.
Product or American mil* Increased
11 Per Cent. During 1 Httll.
Philadelphia, March 8. —The Ameri
can Iron and Steel association lias re
ceived complete statistics of the pro
duction of Bessemer steel ingots and
Bessemer steel rails in the United
States in 18UD, except the comparative
ly small quantity of standard rails and
sitreet ranis which were made from
purchased blooms, or were re-rolled
from old steel rails. The total pro
duction of Bessemer steel ingots in
1899 was 7,586,354 gross tons, against
6,609,017 tons in 1898, showing an in
crease in- 1899 of 977,337 tons, or over
14 per cent. The production of 1899
was more than twice the production
of 1894 and was almost twice the pro
duction of 1896. Of the ingots pro
duced in 1899 Pennsylvania made 3,-
968,779 tons, Ohio 1,679,237 tons, Illi
nois 1,211,246 tons, other states 727,092
tons.
The production of all kinds of Bes
semer steel rails direct from ingots by
the producers of Bessemer steel in
gots in 1899 was 2,240,767 gross tons,
against a siftiilar production in 1898
of 1,955,427 tons, and' 1,614,399 tons in
1897.
Of the total production of Bessemer
rails in 1899 Pennsylvania made 1,-
224,807 tons and other states inadu
1,015,960 tons. ___
PROMINENT FINANCIERS.
•Ulllcr, of Franklin Syndicate Notori
ety, Promises to Fxpose Tlieui.
New York, March B.—The Evening
World prints an interview with Wil
liam E. Miller, th# head of the so
called Eranklyn syndicate, who swin
dled a great many people through
promises to pay 10 per cent, a week.
Miller is reiported as saying that the
syndicate was started 011 a capital of
SSO and that at least $1,500,000 had
passed through his hands while he
was in the syndicate. He said the
police made no attempt to prevent his
escape. He was in tie New York city
hall when Brooklyn detectives werd
supposed to be searching for him.
Miller said that he was merely a
tool, hired by the reai swindlers,
Schlesinger, Whom he accuses of be
ing the real swindler, drew a salary
of S2OO weekly.
Miller declared he is being made a
"football" of by the district attorney's
office. He says he will tell ail he
knows when brought to trial and in
timates that fit will involve some big
men.
A lireat Smallpox ICpldemlc.
Jackson, Miss,, March B.—An official
report made to the Hinds county
board of supervisors reveals an appall
ing state of affairs in the J one:; vi lie
neighborhood, in that county. Tin*
community is Uoneycombed with
smallpox of the most loathsome form
and during the past six weeks nearly
100 deaths occurred. On some days
the death rate was so large that it
was impossible to secure coffins and
rude caskets were made from rails.
Whole families have been wiped out of
existence. Many patients arc now in
a critical condition.
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1900
GEN. BULLER AND THE TUGELA
The Enitlinli General Was Hating
Sandwiches Where the Fire
WON Hottest.
It was during the advance of the
Devons and the Queens that the series
of brilliant attempts to rescue the guns
(at the Tugela) began, says a Colenso
correspondent of the Manchester
Guardian. A little earlier —about ten
o'clock—Sir Kedvers Buller had left
the position he had appointed for him
self at the naval battery—the situation
on the right was too serious for a man
of Buller's spirit to stay there now—
and had ridden off toward the guns
with all his staff and the escort of the
Natal police. "Out of this, please," he
said—he was down among the naval 12-
pounders behind Long's guns now. The
Boers had perhaps recognized the
taff; the whistling in the air trebled.
MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT.
This lady, who FucceeHs Susan B. Anthony as president of the American Wom
an Suffrage association, is reputed to be the foremost active suffragist of the
day. Mrs. Catt was born in lowa, and lived in that state until she became the wife
of George A. Catt, the big New York dredging contractor. She enjoys the reputa
tion of being an ideal hostess, a housekeeper of enviable abilities, and a cook whose
dishes are famous. She is fond of horses, flowers and plants and pretty bric-a
brac. She is likewise a student and one of the most eloquent women speakers in
the country. Her personality is said to be exceedingly pleasing.
"You oughtn't to be here, sir," gasped
Ogilvy. "I'm all right, my boy," said
the general. The staff lingered about
the place; Sir Kedvers Buller was eat
ing sandwiches, and from the scat
tered groups of men emerged one of
the most gallant trios that ever tried
to win the Victoria cross.
Off t he three went for the guns—l saw
them go —Sehofield, Congreve, who had
been leisurely giving me notes out of
his pocket book an hour before up near
the naval battery, and young Boberts.
* * * It was all no good; a general
ret irement was ordered, ten guns were
left 011 the field. * * * Sir Kedvers
Buller and his staff came by me on their
return. The general climbed down
limply and wearily from his horse like
an old, old man. I thought he was
wounded with vexation; I did not know
then that he was wounded-—though
slightly—with a bullet, which had
been passed round his ribs. The horse
of Lord Gerard, one of his aids-de-camp,
RINGING THE ALARM BELL AT MAFEKING.
When the Boers begin firing shells into Mafeking the alarm bell in the market
p'.ace Is rung to give warning to the Inhabitants. At times a shell drops into the
town without the warning having been given. The officer who sends the I.ondon
Graphic the sketch from which the picture here given is drawn describes how a
shell burst the other day in the market place. The inhabitants scattered right and
left. Some flung themselves, on the ground, and one man was heard to say. as he
groveled on the clay: "If anybody says he's not afraid of these shells he's a liar."
had been shot in the neck; Capt.
Hughes, the doctor of his staff, had
been killed —half blown to pieces—by a
shell; one of the Natal police (the gen
eral's escort) had had his horse grazed
in the fetlock, in the belly, and in the
mouth, and two bullets had passed
through his holsters. That is the sort
of fire the general had been under eat
ing sandwiches.
lIIUT Miirk*iuuii.Hli]i».
The fine marksmanship of the Boers
\s attested by the fact that of the 305
men wounded by them in the battle of
lie Tugela in December, 194, or more
ban half, were hit in the extremities,
for which soldiers usually aim. All but
:ight were struck with mauser bullets,
he wounds,accordingto the Brit ish sur
geons, being "humane in the extreme."
Twenty six were hit about the head
mil 21) in the body.
DOG IN THE SCHOOLROOM.
A Courageous Teacher Who Found
That Her I'upllN Were lletter
for tils Presence.
Since Dr. Hale promulgated his plan
about pets in the public schools, I have
heard from several teachers who have
made experiments of this sort with
success, says the Boston Transcript.
One excellent teacher had an experi
ence with a dog which was instructive.
One of her pupils, a slum boy with a
bad reputation, had a very "ornery"
bull terrier which was sure togo every
where the boy did, and followed him to
school one day.
The boy arrived a little late with the
dog; the other children knew that the
pair were coming, and they were on the
alert for a scene. In came the boy with
the big bull terrier at his heels. The
pupilslield their hands to their mouths.
The teacher showed 110 sign of surprise,
but said: "Ah, I see we have a new
scholar. What's his name, Michael?"
Michael said his name was Grip, or
something like that—l am not quite
sure what it was. "Ah, Grip, here,
Grip!" said the teacher, hospitably
and sympathetically, and the dog came
up to her and let her pat his head. Then
she told him, gently but firmly, to lie
down by her desk, and he did. There
he remained, sleeping peacefully or
quietly watching the proceedings of
the school, until the intermission.
The children were all over their
snickering and wondering iu a few
minutes and seemed pleased and cheer
ful because the dog was in the room.
He was adopted as a regular attendant
and from that time 011 spent most of
his time by the teacher's desk, though
often he accompanied his master into
the recitation-room, where his behavior
was always excellent.
The teacher avers that her pupils are
less disorderly and troublesome when
the dog is present than when he is ab
sent.
Breaking; a Record.
Dr. Conau Doyle is a very quick
writer. It is recorded of him that 011
one occasion, when returning home
with a friend in the evening after a
splendid day of cricket, he remarked
that a certain incident would make a
good story. After dinner the friend
said: "You'd better do that, story."
To which recommendation l)r. Doyle
replied: "I've done it."
Effect of Lyddite Shells.
An English artilleryman says the ef
fect of lyddite shells is greatly exag
gerated. They are intended for naval
use, and arranged to explode after
penetrating armour. They will not ex
plode by impact unless they strike a
rock. - -
AN EXPLANATION.
A Cabinet Officer Discusses the
Porto Rican Bill.
Ho Sayn that ConKrcN# mid Hie Front"
ilrnl Alike Seek to Hotter <lio Con
dition ol' the People of the
IKIUIKI, but the I'ulilic
ilaa Boon iHialed.
Washington, 'J. —A member of
the cabinet lust night gave out the
following statement:
"There has beesni a wide misappre
hension oif the Porto Rican tariff bill,
of the attitude of the president, of the
aetion of congress and of their rela
tions to each other. The criticism and
the concern which have come from
some well-meaning' quarters are due
almost entireJy to a, misunderstand
ing of the real foots. When 'the coun
try correctly understamds the.truth,
it wil! approve what has been done.
"The attempt to represent that there
has been a disagreement between the
president and congress ii» unfounded.
There has been no essemial difference
between them. Both have sought the
same object. The recommendation of
the president and the house bill in
their purpose and their effect, come to
the same thing.
"What the president proposed was
that the United States should offer the
largest measure of help to the dis*
tressed island, and he has never waver
ed a single instant in the object he
sought. Had hiis suggestion been ac
cepted and followed by all in his spirit
and as he meant it, with the limita
tions he intended, all would have been
well. But when the time came for ac
tion in congress two tendencies were
On the one ha/nd there were
good men and some business and ag
ricultural interests that, while not ob
jecting to free trade with I'orto Kico
alone, feared that free trade with
Porto Kico would be made a precedent
for free trade with the Philippines.
"On the other hand what the presi
dent proposed as a worthy act of na
tional generosity was seized by politi
cal opponents and claimed as a neces
sary measure of inherent constitution
al right. They insisted that the con
stitution by its own force extends to
Porto Kico and all the new island pos
sessions and spreads all its provisions
over them, including uniform taxation.
They were eager to commit a republi
can congress to the adoption of free
trade with Porto Kico, not as a meas
ure of generous expediency, but be
cause they could then claim that it
had riveted a hard and fast principle
which would tie the hands of the gov
ernment every where,in the Philippines
as well as in I'orto liico, without re
gard to varying conditions, and which
would ex]>ose the administration and
its party to all the attacks that would
be made on such a position.
"It was a cunning game, but it did
not succeed. The apprehension of
the honest objectors who t'care<l that
the concession of full free trade to
Porto liico would lead to misconstruc
tion, and the designs of the craity
partisans who meant that it should,
were both met and frustrated by the
bill which passed t.o house and which
levies 15 per cent., or less than one
sixth of the IJingley rates. '1 hat low
rate involves no possible hardship. It
has the advantage of producing need
ed which until civil govern
ment and law are fully organized in
Porto Kico cannot be raised as well
from any other source.
"There was (another poinit which
was not generally understood. The
bill provides that the whole amount
of duties on goods coming from Porto
liico shall be paid back to Porto Kico
for the benefit of the island. Thus it
fully harmonizes with the object at
which the president aimed, of reliev
ing the trade of Porto Kico from bur
densome restrictions and of extending
the largest degree of help; and when
it was crowned by the president's spe
cial message, promptly carried out by
the house, providing not only that the
duties hereafter collected, but that
those heretofore collected to the
amount of $2,000,1)00, should be appro
priated to be expended wholly in Porto
Kico for her development, no ground
was left, for any pretense that the pol
icy of t.he president and congress v/es
oppressive.
"Nobody can understanding!y object
to the 15 per cent, duty a.! 1 paid back
to Porto Kico on the ground that it is
unfair towards Porto Kico. He can
undersitandingly object, only on.the
claim that there is no power to levy
any duty at all, and such a claim!
would leave the president and congress
powerless and helpless in the Philip
pines as well as in I'orto llioo.
"Between a 15 per cent, duty as pro
vided by the congressional bill, every
cent of which is to be returned to Por
to Kico, that island also getting ali
collected at the other end, and the re
moval of customs duties as suggested
by the president for humanity's sake
there is no difference wheatever in
practical results.
"The partisans who sought, to put
the president and congress in a hole
have, perhaps unconsciously, <lug a pit
for themselves. They will find that
they have taken a position which
would stop them from carrying out
the policy they have prepared for the
disposition of the Philippines."
Famous Theater (turned,
Paris, March 9.—The Theater Fram
caiise, the historical playhouse of Paris
and the home of the world-famed Com
edie Francaise, was burned yesterday.
Mile. lien riot, a young actress, was
burned to death.
A Triumphal Progress.
London, March 9. —Queen Victoria
and the people of London yesterday
celebrated the victories which have
transformed the campaugn in South
Africa from one of reverse into one
of success. That is the only explana
tion of the unbounded enthusiasm
with which hundreds of thousands
•hailed their sovereign. In many ways
these demonstrations out-did those of
the diamond jubilee, although there
were no glittering pageants, but only
a dozen Life (Suards, followed by a
little old lady in a plain black costume
who went to Buckingham milacc.
ONE AMENDMENT
Proposed to Hay-Pauncefote
Treaty by Senators.
OUR RIGHT TO DEFEND.
It Should be Conceded in Build
ing Nicaragua CanaL
ENGLAND CAN'T INTERFERE
Itepurt .Tlade by Senate'* Forflsn lie
latloiiK « Committee SayM that I'ncle
Sam Will He Able Co liuld the 4 anal
Against An)' Enemy.
Washing-ton, March 10.—The senate
committee on foreign relations yester
day reported the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty amending the Clayton-llulwer
treaty, with a,n amendment, granting
authority for the defense of the canal
by this country when constructed.
Referring to the Clayton-Bulwer
treaity the committee says it "-certain
ly avoided hostile collision between
the two great powers (England and
the United States) whatever may have
been its faults as an entangling alli
ance, or national humiliation to us, or
as the cause of heated diplomatic con
troversy.
"Since 1860 the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty has been in some way recog
nized 'by the government in each of
the succeeding administrations as a
subsisting compact.
"Strong reasons for its abrogation
have been frequently stated, and some
have always denied its obligatory
force, but no movement to accomplish
that result has been made.
"As matters stand, at has been a
race between American and British
concessions!ires as to which <?f them
should gain the control of the canal.
One coin puny being installed would,
necessarily, exclude any other.
"The right to a footing in Nicara
gua, thus acquired by Great Britain,
is full of peril to this republic and
could only be disposed of by further
agreements, or by war, or by uniting
the interests of both governments in
the joint ownership and control of the
canal. Such an arrangement would
be a fatal mistake that would soon
involve the countries an war, or it
would enlarge the scheme of alliance
that is embodied in the Clayton-Bul
wer treaty into a practical alliance,
offensive and defensive, in the control
of navigation and the commerce of
teh world. It is (these later treaties
that presiemt the real ground of our
present difficulty, from which the con
vention of 1900 relieves us."
Coming to the pending treaty, the
report say s: ".No other nation except
the United States could have so great
an interest in the exclusive right to
own and control an. isthmian canal,
but in this matter, come what may,
we are compelled to assert the supe
jsjy »QI JO) A\OU -JQ.o|J. alio jo .vj J.IOL.I
time conceded by Great Britain. It is
wise, therefore, that the value of this
concession to us should be estimated
an a great consideration for anything
we may yield, if we, indeed, yield any
thing, in acquiring the exclusive right
to control the canal by a modification
of the Clayton Bulwer treaty.
"In the convention oif February 5,
1900, Great Britain sjgrees that the re
striction as to the exclusive control of
the canal imposed b-- the Clayton-
Bulwer treaty shall continue to bind
her, while the United States is releas
ed from it.
"This leaves us free to acquire from
Costa Kiea and Nicaragua the exclu
sive control of the canal for the gov
ernment, or for our citizens under
the protection of the United States,
while it cuts off Great Britain t'ro,n
any such right."
Speaking of the restrictions in the
treaty the report says: "These
grounds of objection to our exclusive
control of the canal are all removed
by this convention, except those that
relate to fortifications, which, being
expressly restated, are retained in a
new or modified form.
"If this convention is ratified, Great
Britain could not negotiate with Cos
ta Bica or Nicaragua, or any other
American state for any right to build,
own, control, manage, regulate or pro
tect a carnal to connect the oceans,
while tiie United States is left free to
conclude such negotiations.
Touching upon the strategic im
portance of the canal the report says:
"We stipulate against the blockade of
the canal by any nation.
"In conditions that may not be en
tirely remote, we would linil this pro
vision, in letting our ships through
the canal free from capture by our
enemy, of great security to our coast
wise trade.
"With our naval bases at Manila,
Honolulu. San Francisco and San Di
ego en one side, and at San Juan,
I'orto Uico, the Isle of Pints and K'y
West, with other fortified naval sta
tions on the other side, it is 'improb
able that a fleet would cross either of
the great oceans and approach the
canal to find a gateway to the coasta
of the other ocean."
As to the prohibition of fortifica
tions the report says: "With the
military police by the United States,
provided for in this convention for the
protection of the ciinal, its defense
can be made perfect against any for
eign power that is not strong enough
to occupy and hold iv against all com
ers.
"in any event, if waa-s are to come
that will involve the control of the
canal or the right of passage through
it, no battle should ever be fought in
the region near to it."
Senator Morgan filed a minority iv
pont opposing the amendment, in
which he says that "Great Britain
confers no right on the United States
as to anything in Nicaragua or Costa
iUca."
3