Pittsburg dispatch. (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, March 04, 1890, FIRST PART, Page 7, Image 7

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    THE PITTSBUEG- DISPATCH; TUESi
B
AT, MAEOH 4, 1890.
OPPOSEDTOCHJILS.
Governor Jackson Argues
That Their Day is Past.
EAILEOADS BENEFIT MORE,
And Their Competition Renders
Waterways Unprofitable.
THE C. fc 0. OPERATED AT A LOSS
Governor Jackson, of Maryland, thinks
another railroad would benefit the State
vastly more than the maintenance of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The latter, he
says, has been operated at a loss for years.
rrnoM a staff cobresfosdknt.i
Annapolis, Md,, March 3. Locomo
tives, vestibule trains, limited expresses,
and all that sort of thing cattle cars, too,
with airbrakes attached will roll to and
fro on the bed of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal within a year, it the Governor of
Maryland can have his way. He believes
the State has locked its last canal boat
through that historic ditch. The day of
canals is forever past, he says, and the
people who prefer a canal to a railroad
will lose in the commercial race.
Governor Beaver, of Pennsylvania, was
recently the guest of Governor E. E. Jack
son, of Maryland. He didn't stay with him
long enough. He should visit him again,
and gives His Excellency some points about
that State which this year
LEADS All OTHER STATES
in the Union in the mileage of railroads
building; which is the home of the most
progressive railroad in the world; which
nurtures Philadelphia, a greater city than
Baltimore, and Pittsburg, which, though
smaller thanfMaryland's pride, every few
weeks jumps above her in the amount of
financial clearings; a State which, far ahead
of ''My Marylani" as it is, in the race for
trade, is now so eager for canals that its
people picture white-winged masts from the
great lakes harbored among the black
smokestacks of Pittsburg's steamboats; and
niuleless, screw-propeller canal boats, lifting
commerce from the seaboard, over the Alle
gheny Mountains, and dropping it into the
Mononcahcla.
"But President Roberts, of the Pennsyl
vania Railroad, told me only a month ago
that last year his company lost 5130,000 in
keeping open what remaining canals in
Pennsylvania that corporation controls,"
said Governor Jackson to-day when I inter
viewed him for The Dispatch. "This
State has experienced greater loss. Every
year the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal has
caused Maryland to lose $250,000.
ETTSr AT CONSIDEBABLE 1"S3.
"It has not paid for several years past.
"Why, we even lose 550,000 on lcckmen, en-
fineers, etc., the receipts from the canal's
usiness not being sufficient to pay their
salaries. This loss, of course, is easily
borne by the State, but the property would
never pay a private corporation.
"The railroads hr.ve been gradually taking
business away from the canal," continued
the Governor. "That is why shipments on
internal waterways don't pay anywhere.
Even down here where we have the finest
water facilities in the country it does not
pay. I had mills down in Virginia, near
.Norfolk, and to bring up the lumber to
Baltimore cheaply by the Chesapeake Bay
I built six barges, of 400 tons capacity
each, and three steam tugs. This mode
saved us about 23 cents per ton. But
presently the railroads came to me and said:
'Let us have your lumber. "We have
lowered our rates just about 23 cents.' So
I sold the barges and tugs and they are now
np in Long Island Sound.
THE B. & O. AS A lOBBIST.
"It is a mistake to say that the people of
Maryland want the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal kept open. "Why, sir, the greater
part of this advocacy that you hear lor the
repairing and resumption of the canal comes
from the Baltimore and Ohio Bailroad Com
pany. I'll venture to say that, outside of
the small number of people who own canal
boats individually, or who are dependent in
some way on the canal for daily wages, the
other three-lourths of this lobbying for the
resumption of the canal is done by the Bal
timore and Ohio Bailroad, through its
agents, employes and stockholders. That
corporation docs not want a rival railroad
built on the canal because it would parallel
its tracks. It would rather have the old
time canal boats as competitors.
"Soon after the flood last summer many
of the canalboatmen, and canal shippers,
held a meeting at Hagerstown. They said
that it the State would repair the damage
to the canal and put it in running order
again, they would form a company amone
themselves to thereafter pay all expenses of
maintenance.
IIE TVANTS A EAILEOAD.
"I reversed this proposition, and told
them that if they would repair the damage,
I, as Governor of the State, wonld recom
mend to the Legislature in the winter the
resignation of the present directors of the
canal and the election of the men who re
paired it They had from June until I
wrote my message to reply, but they never
took further action on the matter.
"I am s"troncly in favor of leasing the
Canal to the railroad, which promises com-,
petition with the Baltimore & Ohio, and
which will develop commerce. Tbese two
things vill benefit the people. The very
thing that some of the citizens of Cumber
land now complain of, viz: The inability of
the present railroads to handle all the coal
mined in the Cumberland region will then
be remedied, and remedied better than with
a canal. Coal from the canal has been
worth from 10 to 25 cents less at "Washing
ton, anyhow, than at Baltimore. "When
you did get the canal boat down to George
town, where wasthat? It was not Balti
more. Nor was it the coast, for you next
had the long Potomac river to navigate 150
miles to the Bay. The canal merely sup
plied the local trade. More railroads offer
the Baltimore and coast trade to all Cum
berland coals.
BAILROAD BATES REDUCED.
"The largest part of the coal mined in the
Cumberland field has been shipped for sev
eral years past by the railroads. The rail
road rates were reduced lor 52 75 to $1 03
and the canal had precious little margin at
its rate of 90 cents. Operators preferred the
speed and lare capacity of railroads, and
the enhanced value of their coal in the end.
A long coal train and a bmall coal boat,
starting simultaneously at Cumberland,
gave the best chances to the shipper by rail.
Railroads can always combine against
canals, and that is why it is useless to think
of maintaining the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal successfully in the future. It will
never pay; but close it up and yon at once
secure a healthy railroad competition.
"I try to take the broad view of the ques
tion. Of course the canalboat owners, the
boat-builders, and sope others will lose if
a railroad is built on the bed of the canal.
But railroad competition is needed ia the
upper Potomac Valley, and will not only
help that region, but will make the Eastern
commerce greater.
COMPETITION DESIRABLE.
"That West Virginia coal was bound to
come to Baltimore anyway, and why not
bring it into the city with as much railroad
competition as possible, thus preventing a
possible repetition of the anthracite coal
monopolies in Philadelphia? It will place
"West Virginia coal in no more dangerons
competition to Cumberland coal than at
present, for Cumberland is bothered that
way now because of meager transportation
facilities.
"Up at Cumberland the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad influence is strong. So are
the canal boat builders. Of course they are
against the proposed lease. But Cumber
land also has lots of citizens who want the
railroad. Outside of the counties bordering
on the canal, people generally favor a rail
road lease. Another drawback to that canal
is that as long as it is maintained it will
sutler damage from every freshet. It was
built too close to the Potomac river, and has
suffered several times from floods."
THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY SCHEME.
I asked Governor Jackson if he thought
the building of a mountain canal and tun
nel from Cumberland to Morgantown, W.
Va., thus connecting the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal with the slack-watered Monon
gahela, would offer commercial possibilities
enough to insure increased business for the
Chesapeake and Ohio ditch and induce the
State of Maryland to keep it open. In other
words, did he not think the present canal
and the single railroad communities, such as
are along the upper Potomac, were actually
drooping from the lack of just such a con
nection between the eastern and western
water-ways.
"I received a letter from a Pittsburg
gentleman a few days ago," replied the
Governor, "giving me the outline of a trans
Allegbenv canal scheme such as you speak.
No, I think such a scheme is impracticable,
for, as I said before, the day of canals has
gone by. It would not help the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal any.for I don't see how
yonr new canal, with all the railroads
scaling the Alleghenies, could have any
more business than the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal now has.
THINKS IT "WOULDN'T TAY.
"The cost of building a canal over the
mountain summits would be enormous.
"When it was finished the railroads would be
apt to meet it rates, and then it would have
no business. I cannot see that "Washington
would have any great use for such a trans
Allegheny canal. Baltimore would not be
reached by the canal, nor does it need it,
having all the great railroad facilities and
coastwise steamers that she has. And I
don't believe the railroads would ever let
the Pittsburgers ship East by a canal."
Governor Jackson is right about Cumber
land having some citizens who are tired of
the canal and who want a railroad instead.
I met Asa Wilson, Postmaster of Cumber
land, before I came away. He is said to be
one of the incorporators of the new "Wash
ington and Cumberland Railroad, which is
trying to get the canal bed, but be that as it
may, he says the recent railroad connections
in the Cumberland coal field have taken the
canal's business away lrom it largely, and
that for years past the canal has been
operated by the State
AT A HEAVY LOSS.
Its bonds are still outstanding, and a new
issue had to be made some years ago. He
believes a new railroad will relieve Cum
berland from depending entirelyon the Bal
timore and Ohio Bailroad. Hon. William
Walsh, of Cumberland, prefers the railroad,
because the old canal was too uncertain, and
because railroad shops would probably be
built at Cumberland.
Mr. O. C. Gephart said recently: "The
advantage of each additional railroad to a
community can hardly be overestimated,
therefore I am in favor of as many of these
arteries of trade as we can possibly secure.
The canal, I think, is dead beyond all res
urrection and must eventually be replaced
by a railroad, and the sooner this is accom
plished, the better for our whole commu
nity, as well as the State at large."
SOME FIGURES GIVEN.
I looked up the statistics on Cumberland
coal outputs, and I find that, in 1888, the
year before the flood, the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal carried its largest amonnt of
coal in five years. That was 280,700 tons.
In the same year the Baltimore and Ohio
Bailroad carried from the Maryland region
3,669,216 tons and the Pennsylvania Kail
road 715,151 tons. This, I find, was nearly
double the amount ever before carried by
the Pennsylvania Bailroad in one year.
Jn 1875 the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
carried its largest tonnage in 40 years
879,838 tons. Since then its business has
gradually decreased, while the railroads
have increased in the same ratio.
L. E. Stofiei,
MASON BADLY BUTCHERED.
The Kttsbnrger Tells Why He Tried to End
Hit Life.
Dispatches received from Corry, Pa., last
night stated that Mr. Samuel S. Mason, who
attempted suicide Sunday morning, has, by
actual count, 40 wounds on different parts of
his body. The most serious are those near
the jugular veins and one in the abdomen.
He at first attempted to sever the artery on
his left wrist, but failing in this, he stabbed
and cnt indiscriminately. Advices say that
Mr. Mason is resting as comfortably as could
be expected under the circumstances. His
wife, mother and brother are still at his bed
side, and arc doing all in their power to al
leviate his suffering. He made a statement,
which shows that he was the victim of mis
placed confidence.
About two weeks ago he received from
supposed friends at Niagara Falls, letters
requesting him to come there for the pur
pose of fleecing some "chumps." Accord
ingly with $2,000 on bis person, he started
for that place. Instead of his friends work
ing for him, they made him their prey and
secured nearly all his money. This blow,
together with the fact that he was subject to
spells of melancholy so unnerved him that
he tried to take his life.
WAE ON TEE LEAGDE
Said to be a Fntnre Possibility by the As
ociatlon Men.
IjrECIAL TELEGRAM TO TUB DISPATCH. I
St. Louis, March 3. It is semi-oflicially
given out here to-night that the American
Association have been polled by telegraph
that all are a unit in support of Columbus'
claim on Lehane. It is further asserted
that the Association is convinced that John
B. Day and the New York League club have
been illegally interfering in the matter
and that the Association is determined to
have Lehane, or a war with the League. If
the Board of Arbitration should reluse to
assign Lehane to Columbus the Association
proposes to open war on the League.
Von der Ahe said to-night: "I hope it
will be settled fairly, and that Columbus
will get the man. We won't stand any
dictation from the Leagne, and we propose
to make the New York club suffer for what
it has already done."
AS BAD AS SOUTH AMERICA.
Impossible to Haul Oil Well Timber on Ac
count of Bad Bonds.
It is stated on good authority that oil
well borers are transporting timber con
siderable distances on the shoulders of men,
the timber to be used in the construction of
derricks, etc., hauling being impossible on
account of mud.
Another good well has been struck near
the Davis gusher, but for want of material
to connect it with the pipe line, the owners
are afraid to drill in. As the district is
within sight of the city, such a condition of
affairs is but a few degrees removed from
barbarism.
WAT PEOPLE ARE DOING.
Some Who Travel, Soma Who Do Not, and
Others Who Talk.
The Eev. Dr. S. V. Leech, pastor of
the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Al
bany, N. Y., is the guest ot his brother-in-law.
Dr. W. F. Fundenbnrg, MOT Arabella street.
East Liberty. Or. Leech is one of the National
Board ot Trustees of tbe United Societies of
Christian Endeavor, and was lately Chaplain
of the New York State Senate.
John E. Harris, son of L. H. Harris, of
Pittsburg, has made a very creat success ot a
paper which with a temerity born ofPennsly
vania enterprise ho has started In St. FrancifC'
Lake County, Florida, under the name of
Florida Farts. This is something that tha
whole ccunuy wants to see.
Boyd Crumrine, the State Supremo
Conrt reporter, was at the Seventh Avenue
Hotel last evening. He was going home to
Washington. Mr. Crumrine said that the list
of cases before the Court was not Urge this
term, and there was nothing startling in any of
them.
LE CONEY ACQUITTED.
He Listens Unmoved to the An
nouncement of the Yerdict.
AN AFFECTING SCENE IN COURT.
Receiving Congratulations From His Faith
ful Friends.
PROSECUTOR JENKINS BREAKS DOWN.
Close of Camden's Sensational Trial, Which Has
Lasted Four Weeks.
Chalkley Le Coney, who has been on trial
in Camden, K. J., for the murder of his
niece, was acquitted yesterday. He mani
fested no emotion when the verdict was ren
dered. Prosecutor Jenkins was taken ill
and was unable to complete his address to
the jury.
SPECIAL TELEOBA1I TO THE DISPATCH.!
Camden, N. J., March 3. After a
trial lasting four weeks, Chalkley Le Coney
is a free man, and Camden's great murder
case is at an end. A most sensational feat
ure of the day was the breaking down of
Richards Jenkins in the midst of his argu
ment to the jury for prosecution.
At the opening of the court, Mr. Jenkins,
who for many years was Camden's Prose
cutor of the Pleas and upheld the reputa
tion of being one of the ablest criminal law
yers of the State, began his argument. As
he proceeded with his argument his physical
weakness became apparent, but he bravely
spoke on. Turning to the defendant and
pointing his finger at him as he addressed
his attention to the manifestations of grief
and the defendant's conduct on the days fol
lowing the murder, his face rew white and
strained. Mr. Jenkins had been speaking
nearly an hour and was referring to the de
fendant's conduct and had said: "Is it not
strange that this defendant, is it not
strange " when the words died away on his
lips, he staggered, add but for the table
would have fallen to the floor.
When it became evident that the argu
ment could not be continued a consultation
was held. Several considerations were in
troduced. The severe illness of Juror Wal
ter Eari, who had been brought to the court
room in a closed carriage, and the extreme
length of the trial were discussed. Prose
cutor Jenkins at length resolved to let the
case go to the jury with no further argu
ment by the State.
THE JUDGE'S CHARGE.
The jury, which had been taken out for a
short walk, was called in. Judge Garrison,
after stating to the juty that the illness of
the ex-prosecutor made it impossible for
him to proceed with the argument, began
his charge. Judge Garrison occupied 45
minutes in his delivery. By his clear and
concise disposition of much of the matter
which had been presented to the jury, both
bV evidence and argument, he materially
aided their deliberations. The charge was
clear cut and strictly impartial. The only
positive instruction that it contained was
that a verdict of murder in the first degree
could not possibly be rendered. If any
verdict was to be found against the prisoner
it must be murder in the second degree or
manslaughter. At the close of the charge
the jury was sent out to make up their ver
dict, and court was adjourned until 3:15
o'clock.
It was half past 12 when the jury retired,
and by 2 o'clock it was positively known
that they had agreed upon a verdict. While
there could be no certainty there was a gen
eral impression which steadily gained
ground that it was an acquittal. Court
had been adjourned until 3:45. When at
last the time so anxiously awaited by all ar
rived the court room was rapidly filled. All
through the long hours the crowd had
lingered around the courthouse to be at
hand at the finish. When the Judge on
the bench had cautioned those present
against any demonstration when the ver
dict should be rendered, the jury was
called in. Amid the death-like silence
which pervaded the courtroom the usual
formula was gone through. Again, as at
almost every instance of the long trial, the
man who had the most at stake, was, as far
as every visible manifestation was con
cerned, the coolest and least affected man in
all that vast concourse of people.
FBEE ONCE MORE.
When the verdict was reached and the
low, but distinct, response of the foreman,
"Not guilty," there was no manifestation of
feeling on the part of the famous prisoner.
He scarcely moved a muscle and seemed one
of the least interested men in the courtroom.
This was the end, and, after a few words had
been spoken by the presiding justice of
thanks to the jury and officers of the conrt,
the long trial of Chalkley Le Coney, charged
with having murdered his niece, was over.
When the last tap of the gavel of Judge
Garrison had ended the trial, there was an
affecting scene. All the relatives and friends
of Le Coney crowded around him. Many
and hearty were the congratulations and
evidences of sympathy which he received.
After it was all over he was taken in charge
by bis friends, with whom he went back to
the home which he had last left with the
body of the murdered girl. All of the other
actors in this great drama went their way,
and the greatest sensation which Camden
county has had for years was at an end.
Several of the jury said they did believe
the evidence of the negro Murray, the
State's chief witness. None of them ex
pressed confidence in Le Coney's innocence,
but they said he bad not been proved
guilty.
MERELY A DRUNKEN FREAK.
A Yonnir Fellow Fires Off a Revolver In
tlio SeTenth Avenae Ilotel.
A bullet mark in the news counter of the
Seventh Avenue Hotel tells the story of a
drunken freak early yesterday morning.
Three young men, guests of the house, had
been making a night of it, and they came
in early in the morning. Suddenly one of
them whipped out a revolver and the ball
ploughed an ugly furrow in the counter.
No one was injured.
Night Clerk Borland saw the three men,
and as they were talking pleasantly to
gether, he paid no attention to them. He
says they were not quarreling, and the shot
was the result of a drunken idea. The
young men are well known, and they were
so badly frightened that to arrests were
.made. The shot had a sobering effect, and
the young man deeply regretted his rash
act.
A MISTAKE AVOIDED.
The Way In Which an Applicant WIshod to
Make Black Wliite.
J. J. Davis, as the K. of B. and S. for the
State of Pennsylvania K. of P., had a letter
about two weeks ago addressed to him
signed J. C. White, from Connellsville.
The writer asked that a lodgfc be instituted
in Connellsville, and in further correspond
ence said he had 35 members ready for
initiation. Mr. Davis, before issuing the
charter, made some inquiries and fonnd
that although the applicatioa was signed
"White," the applicants were all colored.
The constitution, whether frightfully or
wrongfully, prescribes that only white males
shall be members of the order, and John J.
Davis was too acute on the points of consti
tutional law to grant a charter to a lodge of
colored men, even if tbe applicant signed
his name White.
Charged With Choking Geese.
Joseph Haberfield will be riven a hear
ing before Alderman O'Donnell on Thurs
day, charged with choking fi7e geese to
death, belonging to Joseph Shanhonse.
SE.
Seven SIcn and a Boy Imprlioi ed In a
Wllkesunrre Colliery, nnd no C bancs
of Escape All Effort! to Re
cno Them TJnavnlllna;. I
ISFICIAL TELEOKAM TO THE DISP ATCnM
Wilkesbabbe, March 3.F1 ire broke
out this evening in the Bock Tnnn el of the
South Wilkesbarre Colliery of tht 3 Lehigh
& Wilkesbarre Coal Company, in the
Southern section of this cityi Tkere
are eight men imprisoned j ia the
working reached through this tuf -nnel and
although there are but slight l' "pes that
they will ever see the light of A lay again,
heroic men are making every possible
effort to reach them in time to i save their
lives. The dav shift of f Hen had
jnst come out and the night i sktft. nad
gone down, seven men were woi 'king in a
gangway off the tunnel when Thomas
Jameson, the driver boy started it, i with his
two mules to bring out their lof ided cars.
He had not gone fiOO feet 'from tl ae bottom
of the shalt when the nak ed light
he carried on his head ) fired a
heavy blower of gas which was , escaping
from a crevice in the coal. The fi lame was
strong, and in a few minutes the- dry, ha lf
rotten timbering of the sides ane 1 roof had
caught fire and were in a light blaj e. Jame
son at once realized the danger. ' He called
to some men behind him to take ' back his
mules. i
"I am going in to tell the other. ' fellows,"
he shouted. "We'll all have ' o get out of
here mighty quick."
With these words he'ran pst the burning
timbers and on into t it dark tun
nel. He never canie hriack, nor did
one of the seven o whom he
went to tell of their dan' ,er ever appear.
TJd to midnleht not the s' ghtest traceof the
missing men had been id .ched, and but very
slight headway had bee , made against the
flames that were burnir ' fiercely among the
heavy timbers of the t unel.
The following are ue names of the im
prisoned miners: Mi ,hael Ferry, aged 28,
single: Frank Cull, aged G5, married,
wife and seven chi Iren; Hugh Dugan,
aged 34, married, wif
and seven children:
Thomas Jameson, ag
McDonald, aged 20
iams, aged 32, marrl
drenj Thomas McDo
single; John McNea
1 19, single; Thomas
single; Thomas Will
1, wife and two chil
ald, driver, aged 21,
19, aged 32, single.
AT THE ELE'VENTHHOUE.
Lnree Crowds After v Vehicle Licenses nt
the Last moment 'The Applications More
Numerous Than Ever Before Lots of
Dilatory People A'-monK Them.
The vehicle license time expired yester
day in which a set of plate could be assured
to the owner of anything that went on
wheels without a 5f cent bonus. Crowds
assailed the City Treasurer's office yester
day from morn until frosty eve, and the re
ceipts were largely in ezcess of any former
day at'' -'ar. One of the most
extraori. :onnected with the
license it o many people wished
to be clasi, irse."
The vehic. embrace everything
from a four-ho to a wheel-barrow,
and the efforts of i. - Atrious classes of peo
ple who wish to be independent of the extra
numerous street car lin:s now in existence,
to make themselves appear as small as pos
sible were as laughable as they were laud
able. The plates were of all sizes and
shapes, from two incbes by three three
auarters to an 0V3l pioce ot pewter, four
inches by two and a half in the shortest
diameter. It would thke a review of the
third book of Euclid to deseribe the various
shapes adopted in the pieces of ptwter
which are to adorn tbo equipages of the
city, from tbe lordly coach to the humble
huckster. The humility of the huckster is
one of the points which, maces his license so
high.
Yesterday the clerk la charge of the
vehicle licenses, with a tired wrist and an
aching head from answering questions, left
the Treasurer's office about 6 p. m. and
said: "The applications are far more nu
merous than those of last year. I cannot
say what the number of the various
classes of vehicles which have obtained
licenses is, but I have taken in to-day not
less than S1.300, while up to date the record
is much higher than it ever has been before.
At the same time there is, as you see, a long
roll of plates waiting for the people who
wish to take out licenses, but are a little
dilatory in their proceedings."
A DAT WITHOUT GAS.
Many Accidents nnd a Lot of Inconvenience
Caused by the Shortage Mills Shut
Down Schools In Allegheny Have to
Close for the Day.
The cold weather yesterday morning put
a damper ou the supply of natural gas.
This was particularly noticeable on the
Sonthside where mills, factories and schools
were almost, if not entirely, shut off. The
Enoxville School dismissed early in the
morning. The supply was weaker than it
had been any time dnring the winter.
It remained short all day, and late in the
afternoon it came on with a rush, causing
several small explosions at various places.
Tn the office of Ward's livery stable on
South Thirteenth street, the door was blown
from the stove and a flash of fire ignited a
wooden partition close by. An alarm was
tnrned in from box 136, but the fire was ex
tinguished by the use of the stable hose.
On the second floor of Weber's jewelry
store, on Carson street, the lambrequin and
other trimmings around the mantel were
burned, and Mrs. Webey received a good
scare.
In the cellar of William F. Bohrkaste's
grocery store the gas came on with such
force that it burs ted the pipes and consider
able damage was done.
There were several other accidents, all of
which caused more or less damage. Several
of the large mill were shut off entirely.
Many families all over the Sonthside had to
eat cold dinners.
There was also a great scarcity in Alle
gheny, where the schools closed before noon,
and many workshops were compelled to
stop.
Fifty New Members Admitted.
The monthly meeting of the Grover Cleve
land Democratic Society was held in Hous
ton's Hall, Lawrenceville, last night.
Favorable action was taken on the applica
tions oi ou persons, president penman was
elected a member of the General Committee
of Democratic Societies of Pennsylvania.
Maxwell Wanted to Fight.
George Maxwell was acting disorderly on
Smithfield street last night, and when
Officer Miles Maloney placed him under ar
rest, fousht desperately. The two men
struggled all over the street before the
officer got hts prisoner under subjection, at
tracting a crowd of several hundred people.
LOCAL ITEMS, LIMITED.
Incidents of a Day In Two Cities Condensed
for Ready Reading.
SADIE MonaAN, alias Lewis, was committed
to jail last night by Alderman McNulty.of Al
legheny, on charges of illegal Hqnor selling and
keeping a disorderly house. The defendant
has been living on Liberty street, near the
Point. James. Ginniff is tbe prosecutor, and
the hearing is to take place on the 6th.
A still alarm of fire was answered by the
Grant engine company, of Allegheny, about 7
o'clock last nicht. for a fire under a hearth in
the house of Frank Anshutz, on Libertjfstreet,
No damage of any consequence was done.
Habey Scott, the hustling managerlof the
World's Museum,' Allegheny, was yesterday
relieved of his position. He sent in his'Teslg
nation to the company some time ago. It was
accepted yesterday. J
Richard Teojtpson was badly Injure! yes
terday by being struck by an engine while in
discharge of his duty as an employe of tne De
partment of Publlo forks, at East Liberty.
Thb Allegheny police were paid yesterday.
The roll footed up a little over 80,000.
IN A BUKNING MI
IT WON'T BE ANNEXED
Cuba Does Not Desire to be Gathered
to Uncle Sam's Bosom.
HOW THE TBEASURY IS E0BBED.
Over Twenty-Five Million Dollars Stolen
in Ten Tears.
ANARCHISTS BLOW DP A CIGAEFACT0EI
Brljands Kidnap Wealthy Men and Hold Them for
$5,000 Bansom Each.
Cubans are afraid of annexation to the
United States, and will ask Spain for self
government. A paper left by General Sal
amanca shows a frightful state of official
corruption. Anarchists are terrorizing the
people with dynamite, while brigands kid
nap wealthy men and hold them for ransom.
rEPBCIALTELKORAM TO THS DISPATCH. I
New Yobk, March 3. A letter from
Havana, Cuba, under date of February 27,
says: Since the death of Captain General
Salamanca quietude has fallen nponjpolitical
affairs. The pressure for reform having
been withdrawn, agitation and resistance
ceased, and the people relapsed into their
old passivity. The only topic that occupies
their attention is that fate of the Cuban
budget ip the Cortes at Madrid.
The alarm at first caused by the Pan
American Congress at Washington has
abated. Unless the Congress adopts more
efficient measures than any which have yet
been adopted, its existence will be forgotten
here. As anxiety from that source dimin
ishes, the Liberals within the island are
doing their best to keep the Conservatives
awake. La Sucha, their organ, has created
a little stir by boldy declaring in a leading
article that the only way to prevent annex
ation to the United States is to obtain from
Spain self government and proclaim the
antonomy of the island.
UNHEALTHY foe unpopular men.
The Conservatives are not well pleased
with the appointment of General Chinchilla
to be Captain-General of Cuba. They pre
ferred General Bodriguez Arias, who was at
one time proposed, and whom they consider
one of their party. General Chinchilla
will find difficulties in his path unless he
abides by their advice. Governors of this
island who have endeavored to rule without
the approbation of the Count de Mor'c and
other Conservative leaders do not last long
here, and either die or return disgusted to
Spain. o
Among the papers left by General Sala
manca is' a note giving an idea of the
amonnt of corruption under the Conserva
tive regime. The note is in his own hand
writing. In it he calculates, basing his
estimate on official doenments submitted to
him, that the frauds and thefts by public
functionaries dnring the last ten years
amount to $25,000,000. Many think the
estimate ten or twelve millions short.
The explosion of a dynamite bomb with
the object of destroying La Antilla Cubana
cigar factory last Sunday night, a report of
which was cabled to The Dispatch, was
the work of Anarchists who are making use
of the discontent of the workingmen to
create disorder. The men actually em
ployed in
the dastabdlt outeage
are believed to be operatives of the factory
who had been dismissed several days previ
ously. Tne explosion took place between
12 P. M. and 1 A. M. The job was
bunglingly done, not much damage was
done and nobody was hurt. But the people
were thoroughly frightened, and there was
Jittle sleep tbe remainder of tne night.
The explosion which followed in the morn
ing and destroyed the United Bailway sta
tion, almost created a panic The alarm
somewhat si bsided when the assurance was
given that the disaster was accidental. A
barrel containing 100 pounds of giant
powder exploded in a store near the station.
It was a part of the stock, and is believed
to have been set off by tbe fire from a
cigarette, although an absolute clew has
not been found. Two men were killed out
right, and it is thought that one of them
caused the disaster by his carelessness. The
devastation was terrible. The station and
surrounding buildings are in ruins. Be
side the two killed, others in hospitals are
expected to die.
The men kidnapped by brigands near
Puesto Principe, one a planter and the other
a merchant, were released on the payment of
a ransom of $3,000 for the former and $5,000
for the latter. As yet there is no redress for
these outrages, nor for the constant firing of
the cane fields, a symptom of the disordered
and diseased condition of the island.
Planters can secure immunity only by pay
ing heavy sums to the bandits whose de
mands are increasing.
The Cnban Government has just surren
dered an absconding bank cashier to the
Mexican officers, whereas a Cuban defaulter
still awaits extradition in New York.
A CHILLI AWAKENING.
Gnosis of a Burning Hotel Escape In Their
Night Clothes.
rSPECIAL TELEQBAir TO THE DI3PATCIL
Middletown, N. T., March 3. The Ex
change Hotel, a three-story wooden building,
near the Main street depots of the Erie and
Ontario and Western Bailroads, in that
city, was burned at 2 o'clock this morning.
The temperature was near zero and the wind
blowing a gale. There were about 30
persons in the hotel, many of them trainmen
and all were asleep when the fire broke out.
The sleepers did not awaken
until the lower part of the
hotel was in flames; and the upper
stories filled with smoke. There were a
number of brave rescues of the imperiled
inmates by the firemen and others. Most
of the guests of tbe house
escaped in their night clothes by
jumping from the second story window. D.
J. Bobbins, an Ontario and Western brake
man, was found in his room unconscious.
He remains in a critical condition.
Two girls employed at the hotel, Lillie
Peck and Minnie Johnson, escaped from
the burning building at the last moment
by jumping from the windows of their
room into the arms of Landlord M.F. Clune.
Miss Peck is dangerously burned about the
body and limbs, but will probably recover.
The origin of the fire is unknown.
THE FIGHT AGAINST BDCKET SHOPS.
The Stock Exchange Determined to Fash It
. to the Limit.
rSPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.
New Yobk, March 3. All the bucket
shops were thronged with customers ready
to buck the tiger when Frank Maier, whom
Police Captain McLaughlin and the New
York Stock Exchange had tried in vain to
squelch, sent forth a proclamation announc
ing first that he was the "Union Quotation
Company," and adding "service of this
company will be discontinued for the
present. ' The single old-fashioned gold and
stock instrument in Maler's sky parlor at 40
Broadway was to click off no more quo
tations for the bucket shops, and the gloom
that followed the announcement was un
paralleled. The New York Stock Exchange now uses
the Commercial telegram instruments.
Those instruments have the right of the
floor and in a few days the gold and stock
instruments are to be put outside the rail
and when the Commercial Company has sent
off the official quotations they are to hand
over them to the gold and stock company.
This will mean a delay of from four to five
minutes, just as the generosity of the ex
change dictates. Neither Maier nor- his
patron care ta bet an the Exchange's gen
erosity and Maier -stires.
DEFENDING PAMELL.
Gladstone Objects to the Adoption of the
Report of the Farnell Commission
Asking for Justice far tbe
Great Borne Baler.
London, March 3. In the House of
Commons to-night Mr. W. H. Smith moved
the adoption of the report of the Parnell
Commission. He said it was a unique re
port," but the impartiality of the Judges
had been acknowledged by the accused
members.
Mr. Gladstone moved the amendment an
nounced by Mr. Morley on February 24
declaring that the House reprobates the
charges, based upon calumny that have
been made against members of
the House, and while expressing
satisfaction at the exposure made of evil
doers, regrets the wrong inflicted and the
suflering endured through those acts of
flagrant iniquity."
Mr. Gladstone said he desired to avoid
party recrimination. If the Government
motion had been sufficient to do justice to
the members impugned he would have
been ready to support it. But it was utterly
insufficient. It failed, to represent the sense
of opinion which the House and the
cuumry naa lormed upon the commissions
report. Although he felt it to be his duty
to criticise freely some of the Judges
statements, he believed there was not a line
of the report, from the beginning to the
end, that was not written in honor and good
faith. Was it, he asked, ever before pro
posed to a deliberative body that they
should accept in a jump a report of 160
folio pages bristling with controversy mat
ter? In what respect had the three judges
of the commission more weight and authority
than other experienced men in deciding how
far crime was due to the Leagne and how
far to oppressive evictions? The. commis
sion's report touched these and other
questions long debated politically by men
as capable of deciding thereon as the judges
who constituted the commission.
In conclusion he appealed from the Con
servatives as a party to the Conservatives as
individuals. He said:
I ask you as citizens and men to acknowledge
the law of equal moral obligation. I ask yon.
man for man, to place yourselves in Parnell's
position. Is it possibla for you to do
that without feeling that something
remains due him? And can you make that
something smaller than the amendment I pro
pose? Give yonr judgment as men. not
a judgment that may be sustained by
a majority of this House, but a judg
ment that will bear scrutiny In
tne heart and conscience of every man wten he
betakes himself to his chamber and is still I
entreat I might also say demand that you
pronounce such a judgment as will give late
and scanty reparation for an enormous wrong."
YERITH0UGHTF0I.0F HIJT.
Minister Fetre Dcilres to Save Panncefote
From an Attack of Enanl.
BY DUULAP'S CABLE COMPACT.
London, March 3. Minister Petre, the
British representative to Portugal, has been
made so uncomfortable, and his peace of
mind so disturbed by the hostile demonstra
tions of the Portuguese since the African
question has been agitated, that he appealed
some time since to the home office for a
change of post. Brussels and the Hague
were successively offered him, but declined,
and he finally asked to be transferred to
Washington, giving as an explanation that
he knew Minister Pauncefote desires a
change.
A EIDICDE0DS INTERDICT.
Germany Urged to Repeal the Law Shut
ting Oat American Fork.
BT BtJNLAP'S CABLE COMPANT.l
Fkankfort, March 3. The Frankfort
Zeitung urges the Bundesrath to repeal the
Interdict on American pork, alleging that
the fact of its having been imported by way
of Holland and eaten for mapy years with
out any cases of trichinosis proves the in
terdict to be ridiculous.
Besnlt of tbo German Elections.
Berlin, March 3. Excepting nine re
ballots, the results of which are still await
ed, the 307 seats in the Beich
stag are divided as follows: Cen
trists, 112; Freisinnige and Voiles party, 80;
Socialists, 37; Conservatives, 66; Imperial
ists, 20; National Liberals, 39; Poles, 16;
anti-Semitics, 4; IndeDendents, 3; Alsa
tians, 11. " '
The Title of Stanley's New Book.
London, March 3. The title of Henry
M. Stanley's new book is "The Darkest
Africa; The Quest, Eescue and Ketreat of
Emin."
Anotber Victory for Farnell.
London, March 4. The Athenaeum
Club has blackmailed Flanagan, the author
of the "Parnellism and Crime" articles.
DOWN ON FKEE MASONS.
A Baptist Clergyman Asserts That Their
Infloenco Is Bad.
IHPECtAL TELEOSAM TO TUB DISPATCH.
Boston, March 3. The Baptist minis
ters became involved in a heated discussion
over secret societies at their meeting to-day,
and charges were made that the Masons
especially exerted a harmful influence
upon religion and religious work. These
charges were hotly denied by certain
Masonic members of the Baptist ministry.
The trouble was begun by the Bev. Mr.
Grant, of Beverly, who complained
that Masonry presented a serious obstacle to
the spread of Christianity. "The influence
of the lodge," he said, "is paramount to tbe
influence of the church and is never wielded
in favor of the church, but against it."
"I am prepared to back up the statements
I have made," retorted the Kev. Mr. Grant.
Another clergyman made and reiterated a
denial, and said he spoke from his knowl
edge of the workings of the order.
CHARGED WITH DIAMOND STEALING
An Alleged Philadelphia Defaulter Caught
Over In the Dominion.
'SPECIAL TKLEOHAJI TO THE DISPATCH.
TORONTO, March 3. Henry D. Lecato,
who is well known in the diamond business
in Philadelphia, and who has obtained his
goods from Sandford & Cook, diamond
brokers at the corner of John street and
Maiden lane, New York, was arrested here
to-night on a charge of theft. He acquired
possession of a considerable quantity of
diamonds and struck for Toronto, arriving
here to-day.
Inspector Stark was informed that Lecato
was wanted, and when the defaulter ar
rived to-day he was arrested. He volun
teered alter a little persuasion to go back to
Pbiiadeipnia, ana leit tor Bunalo to-night,
escorted by a local detective.
An AUIIcted Family.
Lieutenant George Snyder, of the Second
Police district, has been confined to his
home, No. 317 Taylor street, Twentieth
ward, for the past three weeks with conges
tion of the lungs. It was reported last night
at the Nineteenth ward station that his
physician had little hope oi his recovery.
Hi's wife is also very sick.
Mother nnd Son Burned to Death.
Kansas Citt, Mo March 3. The
Journal's Sooneville, Mo., special Fays:
The cabin of W. B. Adams, on the outskirts
of the city, was destroyed by fire last night.
Its occupants were an unknown colored
woman and her son. An investigation of
the ruins this morning discovered their
charred remains in the ashes.
Stephenson's Successor.
A meeting ot the Board of Directors of
the Fifteenth ward public-schools will be
heldin the Laurence School to-night to elect
is uuwMai W DUVWCCU fcllW AtttiC A1VI -
27. Stephenson.
A SCIENTIST'S WOES.
He is Arrested in an Opium Den
While in Search of Knowledge.
A MEDICAL MAN'S MISFORTUNE.
A Graduate of a Philadelphia College In a
Police Court.
BEAST DISEASE EKTEEED AS A DEFENSE
Eesult of a Police Bald Upon a Fashionable 5ew Tork
Flat.
Hew York police made a raid upon .a
fashionable flat, and arrested a number of
persons who were smoking opium, among
them being a physician who graduated
from a Philadelphia medical college. The
Iatter's defense was that he went to the place
in the interest of science, being Incapaci
tated by heart disease from the use of
opium.
JSPECIAL TZLEOBAM TO THZ DISPATCH.1
New Yobk, March 3. A pungent odor
followed Police Captain Murphy around
like a shadow all day to-day, and when he
appeared in Jefferson Market Police Court
in citizen's clothes people who didn't know
him sniffed suspiciously and eyed
him askance. Captain Murphy still
smelled strongly of the Seventh,
avenue opium joint in which ho
bagged 13 American pipe-hitters on Sun
day night. The whole Police Court smelled
like a Pell street laundry when the 13 8
men and C women were arraigned before
Justice White. The men were all young
and well dressed. All had intelligent faces
and without exception looked anxious and
very much ashamed. They nervously eyed
everyone in the room as though fearful of
seeing someone who knew them, and spoke
in repentant and sometimes choked voices
to the Justice. The women were pretty and
wore expensive clothes.
Captain Murphy marshaled the lot be
fore the bar in the morning and saw them
all held for examination in the afternoon,
that is all, but "Dr. Charles Holland,"
wbd was released on parole. The ex
amination was held in the big conrt room
at 3 o'clock. The charge against Nathaniel
Ackermau and Annie Brown was keep
ing a disorderly house. There was a host
of young men of respectable dress and ap
pearance in the court room and outside in
the corridors, who all seemed to know each,
other and the prisoners.
A man's house his castle.
Justice White called the prisoners up one
or two at a time. The same defense was
made for all, which was that tbe flats were
a private house, where opium was not sold
and no admission was charged, and that
every man has the right to smoke opium
in his own house. He asked Captain Mur
phy about every prisoner individually;
whether he had seen him or her smoking
opium, buying it, selling it, or giving it
away. Captain Murphy had not seen
much of this sort of thing, but
Justice White said that mere presence
in the flat was sufficient to hold the pris
oners for trial. With one exception all
were held in 500 bail to answer.
The exception was a tall, handsomely
dressed young man with a long brown mus
tache and the beginning of a goatee. He
said he was Dr. Charles Holland; that he
had graduated from a Philadelphia medical
college in 1880, and had practiced medicine
at 36 West Twenty-sixth street until a year
and a half ago. He had been traveling
meantime, and was now living at the Hotel
Metropole and doing some writing for the
Medical World. He said he was indepen
dently rich.
IN THE INXEBESX OF SCIENCE.
He said he went to the joint for the pur
pose of experimenting with opium, and get
ting ideasfrom which to write an article ou
the subject. He met Ackermau through a
chance acqnu.ntance, who told him that
Ackerman ran an opium joint. Holland's
counsel brought this out with an air of tri
umph, seemingly forgetful that the testi
mony contradicted his theory that the flat
was a private house.
Captain Murphy broke in with considera
ble vehemence and declared earnestly that
Dr. Holland was above reproach and that
he had talked with the Doctor frequently ia
the Hotel Metropole previous to the
arrest about opinm smoking and
that Dr. Holland had always
denounced it. Dr. Holland listened atten
tively, and then corroborated the Captain's
statements. Captain Murphy then said that
Dr. Holland had heart disease, and could
not hit the pipe. Dr. Holland at once said
he had atrophy of the heart, and therefore
he couldn't smoke opium, even if he wanted
to. Justice White dismissed the charge
aeainst Dr. Holland.
Previous to the examination a Dispatch
reDorter had asked CaDtain Mnrnhv if he
believed Holland's plea that he went to the
joint in the interest of science and Captain
Murphy had replied "Naw" in very con
tempuous tones.
Nathaniel Ackerman, the alleged pro
prietor of the joint, i3 a slender young msuL
with regular features, small mustache and
soft, brown hair. He was carefully
dressed in black. He looked more
like a college student canght in
a daring prank than the keeper
of a professional opium den. Annie
Brown, hU wife, had a long scar on her left
cheek which she got trving to keep the
police out of her room. It is believed that
the names and addresses given by all the
youngmeu are fictitious. Some of them
got bail after the examination closed.
SLOW W0BK ON THE EOOP.f
The 35-Day Job oa the Now Postofflce Will
Require Two Months.
The Pennsylvania Construction Company
claimed they would put the iron roof on the
Government building in 35 days whan they
commenced, but it looks now from the pro
gress made that they will do well if they finish
the job in 60 days. Inspector Pattison is a
little impatient, but he is not yet discour
aged. He says he never saw a more willing
set of men to work, bnt they have not been
able to get the materials. About 20 men
are working ou tbe roof now. As soon as
the iron is put on the tilers and copper men
will begin operations.
The contract for the arch work in the in
terior will be closed on March 10. There
are a number of bidders, and it is not known
who will tret the contract. Inspector Patti
son will soon ask forbids for the plastering,
plumbing, etc. He is anxious to finish the
building as soon as possible. The two iron
pavilions facing Smithfield street will be
finished to-day.
LETTING NO GRASS GROW.
The Dnqncsno Traction Company Places'
Its Order for Steel Halls.
As an evidence of the determination of
the Dnquesne Traction Company to proceed
immediately with the construction of tracks
over its newly acquired right of way, it was
learned last night from a gentleman well
versed in local traction matters that the new
company had already placed an order for
60,000 tons of best steel rails. Wharton &
Company, of Philadelphia, is said to be
the firm that is filling the order, and the
rails are to be delivered here on or before
May 15.
There were several bidders' for the con
tract, among them the manufacturers ot the
patenUflange Johnson steel rail, also of.
Philadelphia, The agent of the latter com."
pany- warin this city the early part of last
weet but left pa Tuesday, and it is" said
that fin tnlrl Vta? har tTvaf 4Tb nnnfnsl
I bad been awarded to the Wharton company. .
4
.". r.l'iii'Jlm
T"fTsi1s?flslh?isssfffi'srlsl - Ja.-sW
t-tM
U;,,.:v.iw. hitkj&mm. ,,&&&
SBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBflBBBHBBB23sBBBBnsslislsBPH '-
,t --"'-" IMS WSI' M IIMI II1MI HUIlPII i I I III i mm III II I