jorotfoit
'1WSTOENTS.
SCRANTON, PA., .MONDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 20, 1898.
TWO CENTS.
"sgftyi-, i'SPgpCSSjS? . .-.
HS
CHRISTMAS
AT HAVANA
Disturbance Caused by
Liquor at Mont-
serrat Place,
UNKNOWN MAN KILLED
The Holiday as Lively as the Troops
Could Make It Turkeys Seven
Dollars a Piece, and Lean and
Scarce Army Rations Supple
mented by Fruit and Canned Goods.
A Cactus Christmas TreeGeneral
Lee's Modest Dinner Now Year
Parade.
Havana. Dee. 23. The United Stated
troops have begun this evening a regu
lar patrol of the eity of Havana In or
der to guard against possible disorders.
Today, however, passed In comparative
Millet. The Uando Issued on Friday by
Captain General Jltnlnez Cnstollnnos,
prohibit Ing crowds from assembling1 In
the streets.has been generally observed.
Last night then- was some disturb
ance, said to have been caused by
liquor, In Montseirnt place. A shot was
llred about midnight from a roof at a
group of people below, and many shots
were returned at llgures vaguely seen
on the roof. An unidentified man was
kill, d and three were wounded In other
affray.
l hilstmas at Camp Quemudos was as
lively us the troops euuld make It with
sl-i'der materiab' Turkeys, at seven
dollars aukce. were seaice. and every
body said that, with the heat at sum
me, i'irrier.iti-.'e and the hedge rows
billllant with llowers, the day did not
seem much like Christmas
All tli- company me-ses of the Forty
nlnth Iowa, the First North Caiollna,
the Forrth Virginia, the Second Illinois
and thi' "ii' Hundred and Slxty-llrst
Indiana ie,iments had extra "spreudu"
out of company funds, with gifts from i
w.':-ti-do members. The army ration
w,i vvulemonted by fruit, canned
jvu. .,., (.w-'-r potatoes and sometimes
chl. !. ;. TTe Sixth Missouri regiment,
tli" ias-t to niiive. had no chance to pre
pare an extra dinner, so tin- men dined
on fresh beef, lice and beans.
On" '".ittallon reached camp yester
day, toe other two marching today a
distance of el5lir miles over a dusty
road.
CACTI'S CIIUISTMAS TURK.
All tlv regimental bands and the
men were granted leave within a mile
radius of the i amp. Company F, of
the One Hundred r.ml Slxtv-Ilrst In
diana regiment, had a cactus tree,
with a p'vreiit fir everybody stuck on
the point?, as for bistance. hard tack,
beans, salt pork and candles. The
ofllceis of the One Hundred and Slxty
tlrst Indiana Indulged after dinner In
songs ar.'t spoochmaklng, with several
so'o iln'uen.
At Kl Vedodo. the Kighth and Tenth
regular Infantrv regiments dined well
at the expepse of the company funds.
.Major deneral l.e- and his staff par
took of n modest dinner. Oeneral I.ee
had a number of live turkeys avail
able, but as the biids are very lean,
he decided to keep tlieni on the chance
of Improvement, for the New Year's
feast after the Hag raising. Oeneral
Lee spent most of the day on horse
back, studying the best route for the
New Year's day parade. The streets
an too narrow to allow the troops to
march I'ast the palace, so that the
route will probably be through the
1'rado and Central Park to Cerro, tho
Havana suburb, General Lee expects
to have eleven thousand men, includ
ing the Cubans, in the military pro
cession. Major General Hutlor will go to Mu
tanzas and Clenfuegos tomorrow night
on otlUial business. The American
troops are about to lake possession of
the San Ambtoslns hospital.
c. s. Beaver, the United States post
al agent In Havana has complained
to the postmaster general of the Irreg
ularity In the arrival of the malls from
the United States.
SOLDIERS' CHRISTMAS.
Regiments at Savannah Celebrate as
as Civilians.
Savannah, Ga Hoc. 2"). Christmas In
the camp of the Seventh nrniy corps
nine as near to. being a civilian cele
bration as Is possible In military life.
Practically all army restraints were
suspended except morning and after
noon calls and the nicn were left to
enjoy themselves In their own fashion.
The Third Vebraska, Colonel W. J.
Hryr.nV old icglment, had a fund of
1,000 sent from home for u Christmas
ilnner. This was apportioned among
'hi companies The Second Louisiana
Uo hud $l,0oo for a Christmas dinner,
out this regiment spent Christmas at
sea, hii'-iiisr sailed yesterday at tho
lanif time as the First Texas.
REGARDING WHEAT SUPPLY.
Statistican of Agriculture Answers
Sir William Crookes.
Albany. N. Y.. Dec. 25. .1. 15. Dodge,
tor many years statistical! of the Unit
ed States department of agilcultuie at
Washington, has written to the Coun
try Gentlemen an exhaustive answer to
the addles of Sir William Crookes,
before the Hrltlsh Science association,
In which the latter predicted a great
wheat famine. He takes Sir William
to task lor presenting1 lnnccurato fig
ures He says: "Sir William Crookes ilc
'laves that there Is already a deficit of
ivlx-at area of MI.OOO square miles, or
ipproxlmately 20,000.000 acres, lather
nircfr.onabl, in view of the fact that
this area at the present rate of vleld
voiiid produce ueurly 210,000,000 bush
el", while the Huropean dcllclency,
which Is the principal one In the world,
In by the Heerbohm record only 210,-
000,000 nverago In Hie Inst eight years.
He assumes the present annual re
quirement for bread la 2,321,000,000
bushels of wheat, while the olllclal anil
export estimates of the period since
1890 average more than that figure, tlw
compilation of such estimates for sev
en years by tho ... partment of agri
culture nveraglng 2,1 J7.S 13,000, an ex
cess of over one hundred and fifty mil
lions; though the eminent scientist Is
nlmost as lame In ins statistics of con
sumption as lie Is those of production,
really, minimizing both. He makes the
supply of yenr only 1,021.000,000, while
In the statement quoted above the pro
duct of 1S97, the smallest of seven
years, Is given as 2,214,000,000.
It Is a very unreliable forecast that
understates production nearly ten per
cent.
"It would be uncharitable to hope fof
a scarcity of bread rations: still our
wheat growers would not feel very de
spondent over a prospect of good
prices. ,
"The Crookes view Is a distinct en
couragement to them, and similar view
have been put forth before, sometimes
apparently In the hupp of raising prices.
Unfortunate!) . when exaggerated, a
temporary rise of ten per cent. Is fol
lowed (as the result of natural reac
tion, and from the effect nf Increase of
area, stimulated by temporary advance
In value), by u fall of twentv to thirty
per cenl.. as between 18H1 and 193. It
Is hard to convince people, scientists as
well as plain people thin honesty is
the best policy, and tillth as ftntistlcs
cannot safely be departed from The
practice of slock exchanges, as well as
that of biukei shops to secure :i tem
porary ndvaiilage, can never aid the
caue of science or of final economy."
PEACE IN THE QUAKER CITY
Police in the Place Busier Than They
Have Been for Many a Day.
Philadelphia, Dec. 25. The "peace and
good will" season of the past twenty
four hours have kept the police of this
city busier than they have been for
many a day. Tue gravest case which
called for their services may result In
a triple minder. It occurred tonight In
a disreputable couit near Eleventh and
Pace streets.
Mrs. .Mary Johnson and Mrs. Alice
While, both colored women, twenty
eight years old. were shot in the head
and body and Charles H. Moore, a
thlrty-four-year-old white man, was
shot in the back by George St. Clair,
coloied.
Mrs. White Is not expected to live
through the night ami the other two
victims are In a critical condition. The
shooting occurred In Mm Johnson's
house. According to her stii'tement, St.
Clair, who lived nearby, accompanied
by a colored friend of his from Wnsh
iugton, name unknown, forced an en
trance while the women were sleeping,
and picked a quarrel over a trlvinl mat
ter, finally drawing a revolver and tir
ing three shots, all of which took ef
fect. Moore, who was unknown to the
parties, was looking for another house
when be accidentally stumbled Into the
place while St. Clair was shooting. The
pistol was promptly turned on him mid
lie was phot, In the back.
St. Clair and his companion escaped,
and up to a late hour had not been
captured.
Flames found four victims during the
Christmas period. Mrs. John Ford and
her infant daughter were burned to
death at their home in a fire caused by
the explosion of an oil lamp, and Miss
Mary Coyle, aged 70 years, met death
from a like cause. She fell down stairs
with a lighted lamp in her hand.
Mrs. Kate MeNlehol. aged 42. whs ter
ribly burned by the up?ttlng of nn oil
lump at her home and died tonight.
GrlflVth Harvey, an 82-year-old col
oied man. fell from a third story win
dow of his home last night and died
from a fractured skull.
John McAvoy was sandbagged by two
men who followed him from a Camden
saloon early this morning and robbed
him of tfi. He will recover.
Miss Kmma Luniparter. also of Cam
den, was walking to the ferry after a
night's shopping in this city, when she
was "held up" by a negro, who llred at
her with a revolver. The bullet grazed
her cheek, but her assailant was fright
ened off without booty.
SITUATION IN PHILIPPINES.
Business Prostrate in tho Southern
Provinces News at Manila.
Manila, Dec. 2fi. The steamer Union,
which returned here from Hollo with
native and Spanish soldiers and was
refused a landing at this place, has
been detained by the American olil
cials. Private advices from the Southern
provinces say that business is suspend
ed In all the leading towns, that sup
plies ate scarce, and that foreigners
are only permitted to travel when spe
cial permits have been Issued to them.
At Malolos, the headquarters of the
so-called Philippine government, near
here, the native soldiers are levying
on the villagers for supplies of food,
the people are half-starved, nnd uni
versal dissatisfaction prevails.
American volunteers to the number
of 603 attended an enthusiastic meet
ing of the newly formed Philippine De
velopment association here yesterday
evening. O. F. Williams, the United
States consul at Manila, presided. Def
inite action upon the part of the organ
Ir.atlon was postponed pending the de
cision of General Otis on ceuatn mat
ters. BANQUET TO GRENFELL.
American Representatives Ave Re
ceived with Enthusiasm.
Cairo, Deo. 25. A farewell huuquet
was tendered this afternoon to Lieuten
ant General Sir Frnnels Orenfell, the
recentlv appointed governor of Malta,
who now retires from tho supreme
command of the Auglo-Kgyptlan forces
In Kgypi
The piesencc of Mr. Thomas S. Har
rison, United States agent and consul
general, and Kthelbert Watts, United
Stales vice consul general, led to an
Anglo-American demonstration. Oen
eral Grenfell and James Ronuoll llodd,
secretary of legation at the Hiitlslt
agency, epoko warmly of Anglo-Saxon
friendship.
.Mr. Harrison, who was received with
IntenKo enthusiasm, made a stlrrlntf
hpseeh, sparkling with humor, In tho
course of which he reciprocated their
friendly expressions
JUDGE DAY IS NOT
AT ALL AMBITIOUS
HE HAS NO POLITICAL PLANS
FOR THE FUTURE.
Would Not Be Candidate for Gover
nor of Ohio Under Any Circum
stances Contradicts a Rumor
Afloat Whilo He Was in Paris.
Also Corrects the Talk Regarding
Large Compensation for the Com
missioners Americans Wore Well
Treated in Paris.
Canton, 0.,Dec. 23. Judge Day, presi
dent of tiie peace commission, nnd Mrs1.
Day reached their Canton home In tlmo
to take Christmas dinner with the fam
ily. They arrived at 10.15 this morning
over the Pennsylvania railroad. Ther.?
was no formal greeting arranged for
them, but a committee of the Stnrk
county bai. several personal friends
and inembeis of their family were at
the station to meet them. The Judge
ts In excellent health and spirits and
the trip abroad has evidently been
beneficial. Mrs. Day Is nlsu In excel
lent health and, notwithstanding sea
sickness on the return voyage, comes
to her home In much better health than
When she left It.
Judge Day, when asked as to his plans
for the future, said he expects to re
main In Canton and resume the prac
tice of law in the firm of which he was j
a memlter before entering the cabinet
of President McKlnley. The work of
the eommlmlon ended when the treaty
was delivered to the president, and he
dof not expect to visit Washington
again In connection with any duties on
that commission.
Asked as to whether he had any de
sires which the state of Ohio could sat
isfy, he said:
"If you refer to political desires, T
have not. My only ambition is1 to be I
allowed to pursue the practice of my
profession." I
NOT A CANDIDATK. '
Later In the conversation he author
ized the direct statement that under
no circumstances would he be a can
didate for governor, as has been re
ported during his absence In Paris.
While he talked freelv on many mat
tern connected with his work in Paris,
Judge Day did not fel at liberty to
give an Interview In detail on the work
of the commission. He said the talk of
$100,000 compensation for the commis
sioners, or of any sum approaching
that amount was ridiculous and pre
posterous. The president fixes the compensation
of the commissioners and none of them,
it is safe to say, accepted tile duties an
a speculation. None of them have an
Idea of a large fee such us would have
bosn paid, had they performed the du
ties in the capacity of regularly re
tained attorneys. There Is no actual
precedent on which to base an estimate,
but the prediction ventured that the
compensation of the commlssloneis will
not exceed H3.000 each, and a reason
able expense Incurred on the trip and
in Paris. These expenses, however, will
not include those Incuired for the
wives and families of the attaches of
the commission, because all such went
on the Journey entirely Independent of
the commission and were In no way a
charge upon the ollclal party It Is
probable thai the stories of large pay
ments were suggested by payments In
trentv negotiations of the post, notably
the Herlng sea matter and Mr. Fos
ter's work hi connection with the China
and Japan treaty. In the case of Mr.
Foster there Is no parallel to the Paris
commission. He was retained for a
large fee to perform certain duties. In
tho case of the Herlng sea. the com
missioners were paid very inoc'flrate
sums for their work, but associated
with them were a number of attorneys
of note in the capacity of counsel look
ing after large Interests and as such
were paid liberal fees.
WKLL TP.1CATC;D IN FRANCK.
A number of friends have called on
Judge Day since his return and to them
he has talked entertainingly. The
French government treated the. com
missioner's very well. There was but
two critical periods in the negotiations,
tho first regarding the Cuban debt,
which was an open question for more
than a month during which time the
Americans never swerved from their
position presented to the Spaniards.
The other was upon tho Philippines
cession, nnd after the Americans had
reached a conclusion In their own
councils as to the concessions that
could be granted, there was no devia
tion and the Spaniards finally accept
ed. The personal relations between tho
representatives of the two governments
was at all times friendly anil cordial.
The Americans had great respect for
the ability of the Spanish members and
believe that nothing was left unrald or
undone that could benefit the Spanish
case. The president of the Spanish
commission was remarked as a man
of great ability by the Americans and
won their respect for the able munner
in which ho conducted the Spanish
cause.
PUSHING EUROPE BACK.
America's Success in Foreign Mar
kets Causes Wonder.
London. Dec. 23. It In no exaggera
tion to assert thai tho foremost topic
compelling attention In Kurope In gen
eral and In Oreat Krltaln In particular,
overshadowing the dreary broils of Co
mestlo politics, Is tho lemarkable, ag
gresslvo commercial prosperity which
the Cnlted States Is manifesting. Har.l
ly a newspaper tevlew or - a public
speaker In the last month has failed
to notice with what giant strides Amer
ica is coming Into the first place In the
alignment of the Powers. It Is cer
tainly the chief subject of conversation
in Lombard stieet and on the Conti
nental Hourses.
The manager of one of the greatest
Loudon banks recently drew nn Ameri
can business man Into his private ofllce,
and said In an awe-struck tone: "This
ls the first time In tho history of finance
that New York has been In a position
to dictate money rates to London, Her
lln and Paris," The bank manager add
ed that London's purchases of Ameri
can Bocurltles were a feather's weight
compared with the balance of trade In
New York's favor.
James Hryce In a speech before the
Leicester chamber of commerce sound
ed a warning to Hrltlsh niaiitifacturets.
He crnpluiHlzed the fact that the ex
ports of tho United State:' and Germany
had Increased CSI.OOO.OOO and 21,000,
000 respective!) between IKDl and 1897,
while Great Htitaln'a decreased Clu.
000,000. He further pointed out that the
business of Ihe.rnlted States was de
veloping along 'many Important lines
which Groat Hiitaln, he added, should
have held against all competitors, Mr.
Hryce unhesitatingly asserted that the
United State? could produce rolls
cheapci than 'Stent lltitaln, and said
he saw no possibility of opening new
markets except in China.
Great Hrltalli seems to have become
reconciled to the capture of the Iron
markets by the United Stntes. Ameri
can firms are uniformly successful In
bidding against the Hrltlsh companies.
The Carnegie company and the Illinois
Steel company have opened extensive
ofllcep In London, and are making In
roads upon the Hrltlsh preserves. Col
onel Hunslker. the Curnegie represen
tative, has contracted for 30,000 tons of
plates for the Coolgardle road. Aus
tralia, and the company was unable to
undertake the contract for P.0.000 tons
more.
A dispatch from Herlln says it is a
fact that the Russian government has
ordered S0.OOO tons of American rail",
and the prospect of American competi
tion for the contracts in connection
with Hussla's extensive railroad alarms
manufacturers here and elsewhere.
Consuls assert that all Kuropo Is
Hwarmlng as never before with the
ngentH of Americnn manufacturers of
steel, street railroads, electrical appar
atus and all kinds of machinery, who
are leading the commercial invasion.
AMERICANS DETAIN STEAMER
Vessel Carrying Spanish and Philip
pine Soldiers Held at Manila.
-Manila. Philippine islands. Dec. 23.
The steamer I'nlon, which returned
here from Hollo with native and Span
ish soldiers and was refused a landing,
has been detained by the American
olllclals.
Private advices from the southern
provinces say that business is suspend
ed In all leading towns, that supplies
are scarce and that foreigners are al
lowed to travel only with special per
mits. In Malolos, headquarters of the so
called Philippine government, near here,
the native soldiers are levying on the
villagers for supplies of food, the peo
ple are half starved and universal dis
satisfaction prevails.
ASK FOR CONSULAR REFORM.
Western Business Men Anxious for
Changes in tho Service.
Washington, Dec. 23. Henry A. Gar
field, president of the Cleveland cham
ber of commerce, has been In Washing
ton for the last few days In connec
tion with consular reform measures
which the Cleveland chamber of com
merce and other commercial Institu
tions tnroughout the country Intend to
urge upon congress.
They will ask for a healing before
the foreign relations committee of the
senate and the foreign affairs commit
tee of the house, unless, so far a the
house Is concerned, the Adams bill,
which was favorably reported at the
last session of congress, ts deemed to
be a satisfactory basis. Commercial
organizations .jotTi Kast and West are
co-operating in the movement.
LOST HER SATCHEL.
Mrs. William Smith's Misfortune in
a Pullman Car.
Tienton. N. J., Dec. 23. Mrs. William
L. Smith, of Kast Liverpool. O.. who
reached Trenton yesterday on a visit
to her father, Kichard Harlow, reported
to the local police that a satchel con
taining $1,500 in money and diamonds
was stolen from her on the train. She
was riding in a Pullman cur and missed
the satchel at Allegheny, Pa., where
she discovered that a similar satchel
had been substituted for her own In
her seat while she was In a toilet room
of the car.
The matter was reported to the con
ductor and a description was ele
graphed back of a man and w man
who loft the car at Rochester, Pa.
Mts. Smith's husband Is a pottery
manufacturer at Kast Liverpool.
SALVAGE FROM SPAIN'S FLEET
Large Quantity of Material at the
Washington Navy Yard.
Washington, Dec. 25. There Is now
at the Washington navy yard a quan
tity of marine machinery from Cer
vera's fleet. This Includes launch holl
ers, torpedo-boat engines, hand pumps
and a maw of other matter from the
Colon and Maria Terest that would bo
classed as Junk except for Its historic
associations.
The best of the machinery has been
ordered shipped to the naval academy
at Annapolis, where It will serve as
souvenirs, and some of It may bo put
In pulllrlcnt repair to act as models for
the engineering classes, The remainder
will bo broken up or sold at auction.
SOLD TO THE TRUST.
Black Plato Plant of tho Reeve3
Company Changes Hands.
Canaldover. O., Dec. 23. The black
plate plant of the Kecves Iron com
pany, which manufactures plate for the
tinning plant hero, owned by Philadel
phia capital, has been sold to the
American tin mill trust, now forming,
with headquarters at Chicago. Nego
tiations are also pending for the Halo
of the tlnnliiK plani. The Reeves mill
will be shut down Jnn. 1, when invoic
ing will begin.
Great concern Is felt by the employes
lest the plant will be abandoned at this
point by the trust. In that event, how
ever, it Is believed It will be leased by
the Hooves people and converted Into a
sheet mill.
Mr. Invin'a ProposalR ejected
St. Pft-Tsburu. Dec. 23. It Is senu-ufll-dally
anomniced that the minister of
llnanoe. M. Do Witte, is iiuabltj to accept
the proposal (recently communicated by
the United States charge d'affaires, II. H.
I). Pierre), of William M. lvlns, or New'
York, the representative of a group ef
finuiiclcrs, to make a largo loan to Hus.ila,
PEACE REIGNS AT
PINAR DEL RIO
RECONSTRUCTING A FERTILE
PROVINCE OF CUBA.
The Picturesque Wolcomo to General
Davis No Brigandnge in the Dis
trictThe American Camp Work
Begins iu the Tobacco-Raising,
Sugar-Growing Province.
Plnur del Wo. Dee. 19. The recon
struction of this great tobacco-raising,
sugar growing province has begun. Ab
solute peace exists and the people are
ut work.
General Davis, before he left Havana,
was told that brigands would probably
overrun the province, that potty dicta
tors were taxing the villages, that In
surgent chiefs had occupied the towns
anil would not yield paramount au
thority to lb.' Americans, nnd that ho
would be Infinitely vexed by obstacles
In every step toward the restoration of
civil order among a restless people.
When General Davis, his staff, a bat
talion of the 202d N'ew York regiment
and n signal corps company reached
the borders of the piovlnce In the Jour
ney by train from Havana, they were
received at Santiago de las Vegas by a
colonel and a hundred and fifty Cuban
norsenien aligned near the station. A
few yards behind them were a hundred
and twenty-five young Cuban women
on horseback. Around and behind this
cavalcade the townspeople were gath
ered shaggy-haired old men, women In
black, troops of children with llowers
and small Cuban and American flags.
As General Davis and his staff appear
ed on the platform there was a passion
ate burst of "Vivas!" and bare ma
chets Hashed In the medley of tolor.
The cheering was so prolonged nr.d so
genuine that the Americans were
moved by It The colonel placed him
self and his men at General Davis's
disposal. The alcalde of the town made
on address. The general, who knows
some conversational Spanish, but not
enough for n public speech, replied
through an Interpreter that the Cuban
people had won liberty through great
tiial-s and sufferings, and that the
Americans were there to aid In con
serving that liberty.
MISTOOK SUHGKON FOR GRNKHAL
Surgeon-Major William L. Knedler
had become separated In the crowd
from General Davis, and one of a com
mittee of priests began to read him an
address of welcome, thinking the phys
ician was the general. Major Knedler
who at first did not perceive the drift
of the address, was unable to find an
opening to stop the padre before the
welcome had been concluded. The doc
tor then, through a Cuban who could
speak Kngllsh and Spanish, said that,
us one of the Americans with General
DavK he regarded the Cubans ns men
nnd brethren, and that in all his trav
els he had not seen so fine a country.
The Americans then swept on
through wide spaces of deserted coun
try. From the train they could see
occasionally the blackened walls and
tall chimney of a ruined sugar cen
trale, weedy and shrub-grown field.-?,
and at Intervals colonnades of palms
marking the spot where houses once
had been. At each of the towns tin
senior Cuban olllcer made known his
allegiance to the proposed order of
things under the American protector
ate. Plnar del Wo City gave a reeeo
tion as enthusiastic, ns that given :u
Santiago de las Vegas. The Cuban
commander turned over the municipal
and provincial buildings.
General Davis has communicated by
letter or by messenger with the Im-
j portant towns in the province. Not ui
I incident of brigandage or Injury to per
I sonal rights has been reported. The
most flagrant crime has boon the dis
i appearance of .some chickens. The
Spanish residents, somo of whom are
the well-to-do men of the city, had
lived in the Interregnum between Span
ish evacuation and American occupa
tion unharmed.
N'EW TASKS FOR TUOCHAS.
The people near Plnar have torn the
wire from the trocha nnd inclosed
yards and fields with It. The principal
storekeeper has painted advertisements
on two of the forts. The town Is well
fed on chickens, fresh beef, fruit and
vegetables. The country Is exhausted,
but the revlvlllcatlon has begun. Palm
huts are building on wasted farms.
The country people are now living
chiefly on radishes, sweet potatoes,
sugar cane and chickens, and quail shot
or trapped in the thickets.
Pinnr del Rio City has many empty
houses. The population was 12.000, of
which number 7,000 have been burled.
The women are all In black.
Following General Davis' lnstruc
tions, the American officers and pri
vates aro careful to return the salutes
of the Cuban soldiers, who, armed and
unarmed, are coming and going at all
times. They subsist largely on gifts
of food. Some, forced by necessity,
have sold their rifles. Mausers cap
tured from the Spaniards are selling
for five or six silver dollars. In Ha
vana Mausers are surreptitiously sold
for $20 or $23.
The battalion of the Two Hundred
nnd Second New York rcslment, un
der Major Wood, Is camped on high
ground nbout a mile outside the city.
The landscape of rolling country and
distant mountains Is most beautiful.
The men havo been working hard cut
ting Brass and organizing the camp.
They havo not missed having fresh
bread and beef since they loft Havana.
Forty-two heod of cattle brought from
Texas for the camp are grazing near
by. Guard duty Is light. One post of
three men Is maintained nt the rail
way station, and another Is at Kl
Globo hotel, where General Davis Is
staying. The men expect to be re
placed by Regulars in tho spring and
allowed to go home. Dreadful stories
are told of tho malaria that develops
mound Plnar del Rio with the begin
ning of hot weather.
Rus3ia Buying American Steel,
Wasalugion. Dec 23. Anibassaior
Hitchcock i t St Petersburg, cabled to
the fccictpry of state today that ho has
been officially Informed that a contract
for eighty thousand tons of rails for the
Kastem Chinese rallioud has been award
ed to tho Pcriibylvanla and Maryland
compun.
THE NEWS THIS M0HNING
Weather Indication! Todayi
Palrj Colder! Northwesterly Wind.
1 General ClirlHtmns at Havana.
Judge. Day Is Not at All Ambitious.
Peaeo Reigns at l-iiiar del Hlo.
Methods of Insurance.
2 General Methods of Insurance (Con
cluded).
In the Thenten.
Market Reports.
3 Local Christmas Day at the Churches.
Revenue Report for thy Year.
Two Persons Kilted.
I Kdllorl.il.
Comment of tho Presa.
fi Local Corporal Reese Laid at Rest.
C. Smith Case Heard.
Miss Bryant Still Alive.
Poor Honrd Case Argued.
fi Local West Scranton and Subtiibnn,
7 Our Kxports to the Dominion.
1'p and Down the Valley.
X General News of Soldier Hoys at Camp
MneKenzie.
(Local)-Chrlstmus at the Churches
(Concluded).
DON CARLOS STJLL
IN THE RING
He Has Good Health and Does Not
Intend to Abdicate.
London, Dec. 23. The Venice cone
spondent of the Times says:
"Don 'Carlos, who Is in perfect health,
desires me to deny absolutely the re
pent that he contemplates abdicating.
On the contrary, he says he Is more
resolved than ever to fulfill his role to
tho end. He authorizes me to assort
that he has asked no audience of the
pope and has requested nothing else of
his holiness."
Rome, Dec. 23. The Agenzza Italiano
asserts that a German syndicate lias
tiromlsed Don Carlos a loan of 110.000.000
francs in three Instalments the first
when he has ten thousand men under
arms: the second, when he has captured
Hllbao, capital of the province of Mis
cay, and the third, two months after
operations are commenced.
.
IN THE PRESIDENT'S HANDS.
Commissioners Formally Submit the
Treaty of Peace.
Washington, Dec. 23. President Mc
Klnley received from the American
pence commission late this afternoon
the treaty of peace between the I'nlted
States and Spain. In presenting this
momentous document Judge Day, as
chairman of the commission, said it
represented the earnest efforts of the
American representatives at Paris, and
that It was submitted with the hope
that It would redound to the peace,
credit and glory of the American na
tion. Accepting the treaty from the hands
of Judge Day, the president responded
with heartfelt thanks and congratula
tions to the commission as a body and
to the members Individually. He spoke
of all that had been accomplished and
of the happy method by which dlfllcult
questions had been ndjusted. The form
al ceremony of delivering the treaty to
the president occurred In the blue room
and lasted half an hour.
POWER FOR GENERAL OTIS.
Will Decide tho Question of Sending
an American Force to Iloilo.
Washington, Dec. 23. The adminis
tration has determined to confide to the
Judgment and tact of General Otis, In
command of tho I'nlted States forces
In the Philippines, the question wheth
er troops shall be dispatched to Hollo,
where recent Spanish reports have
stated that a conlllet Is In progress he
tween tho Insurgents and the remain
ing Spanish troops. Some days ago
General Otis asked I he war department
if any precise instructions were to v
given for dealing with the situation -it
Hollo. The matter was fully canvassed
by the president and Secretary Alger,
and, as a lesult, the decision was
reached to let General Otis deal with
the situation by tho exorcise of his own
discretion.
Tho reply was sent to General Otlfl
several days ago, and It will ho for him
to decide whether a United States force
will go to Hollo, and how many men
will constitute the force.
flUNTSVILLE TROOPS.
They Will Move for Port Tampa on
Tuesday.
Huntsville. Ala., Dec. 23. Christmas
was observed at Camp Forse, and by
a general order Issued Saturday, only
those duties1 necessary to the public
service were performed. The First
United States infantry has been or
dered to move to Havana. First battal
ion leaves tomorrow for Port Tampa
and the Second battalion goes to
Chatiestown Tuesday. The Third bat
talion will go to Port Tampa on Jan. I,
Second battalion, Second engineers,
has been ordered to Havana.
Lieutenant B, P. Hurks, of the Six
teenth Infantry, has been announced as
provost marshal at Huntsville.
Germany and Fernando Po.
Ilerlln. Dee. 23,-In ollleinl clroles here It
Is said that thorn Is no tiutn in the report
that Germany has proposed to buy he
Island of Fitnando Po, the Spanish penal
settlement hi the lllijht of Illafra. West
ern Africa.
KILLED HIS SWEETHEART.
Frank Nulty Shoots Mamie Remly
with Whom Ho Had Quarreled.
New York, Dec. 2'. Mamie Remly, a
17-year-old ulrl, was shot In the head
and killed today at her home on Klghth
avenue by Frank Nulty, a postolllce
clerk, 10 years. At tho same time Nul
ty shot himself through the head and
was taken to a hospital, and it is be
lieved he will die.
Nulty wae formerly a mltor of the
girl and recently ibey quarreled.
-H-ft-f-t- -t-tv-f f -.&.
WEATHER FORECAST.
Washington, Dec. 21. Forecast
for Monday: For custern Pennsyl
vania, fair; colder; light north
westerly winds, becoming easterly.
f-M--f-m-i-m-m-f-M't-f
MifHODS OF
INSURANCE
A Stricter Watch Will
Be Kept on
Them.
REVIEW OF FOUR YEARS
What Has Been Done by the Stato in
Protection of tho Citizen Against
Traud or Incompetence in tho In
surance Business What Yet Needs
to Be Done A Roast for tho Lack
awanna County Grand Jury Ablo
Rnd Pointed Recommendations by
Insurance Commissioner Lambert.
Speclnl to the Surunlmi Tribune.
Hartisburg, Dec. 25. In compilation
with the request of Governor Hastings,
Insurance Commissioner James 11.
Lambert has furnished him with tho
following resume of the operations o
the department during the past four
years and suggestions as to needed
legislation:
The Insurance department Is not an
conspicuously In the public eye as soma
other departments of the state govern
ment, but It has been none the less
very active in every proper direction
dining the present administration, t
can most truthfully say, for the record
abundantly sustains the assertion, that
tnete are today many less perils men-
illltl!r 1h tw.finti. nf lMntlQvlvnnin fi'nn.
dishonestly conducted insurance organ
izations than at any time before, and
that Individuals who had taken ad
vantage of a loose construction of tho
laws or a supine administration of
them to pvade responsibility have been
taught to understand that operations
formerly catried on with comparative
safety are now dangerous and certain
of detection. This improved condition
Is due to the application of new anil:
Just interpretations of the statutes and
to department rulings and require
ments obviously essential to effective
supervision.
RKVKNUKS.
The revenues of the department havo
Increased very greatly during the past
four years. The receipts from fees
for 1S9S will exceed those for 1893 by
very nearly $20,000, while the expenses
nf the department will amount to less
than the same expenditure for 1S95.
The total expenses of the department
annually amount to about $1(1,000, while,
the receipts from fees have reached
the sum of $70,000. As these fees were
designed solely to maintain the depart
ment and pay Its immediate expenses,
without any Intention of creating rev
enue for the state, I deem it proper to
srigest that there be a uniform re
duction of the amount of fees exacted
from the companies, for filing annual
statements, for licenses, and such mat
ters, of at least 50 per cent. With tho
companies paying a tax upon their cap
ital stock as well as upon the gross
premiums received, which tax produces
a very large revenue to the state, it Is
mnnlfestly an Injustice to burden them .
with fees In excess of the amount
necessary to cover the expenses of the
department. The mnrked Increase of
revenue from this source is due almost
entirely to the Increased energy with
which the laws have been enforced
against brokers and delinquent com
panies doing their utmost to evade the
payment of taxes and the fees re
quired. The amount that will be
turned Into the state treasury for this
year on account of fees received will
be about $33,000, as compared with $37,
27s.7fi for U83. The department Is that
much more than self-sustaining.
FAKE MI'TUA.S.
Soon after assuming tho duties of
the ofllce attention was given to cer
tain mutual lire Insurance companies
which had sprung up within a abort
time, and had branched out extensive
ly In underwriting not warranted In
companies doing business on the mut
ual plan. The annual reports received
from these companies showed that an
enormous amount of money was ab
soibcd by salaries and expenses, whllo
tho lire losses paid were entirely dis
proportionate to the amount of losses
reported. An examination disclosed
the fact that these companies had been
started by a brood of promoters, who
organized the companies solely for tho
purpose of extracting money from the
gullible portion of the public. To ob
tain charters both fraud and perjury
were resorted to. The list of alleged
subscribers to make up the necessary
amount to obtain a charter was com
posed in some cases of persons who
had no property whatever, or of oblig
ing Individuals who loaned their names
simply as an accommodation. A strict
investigation was at once set on foot
with the result thut two of the more
prominent piomoters were convicted
and sent to lull for perjury- Since that
time no companies of this character
have presented themselves to the de
partment for charter?, and the com
panies In question to the number of
thirty-three have been forced out of
existence by the strict rules of the
department In regard to solvency. Dur
ing the few years that they flourished
tho promoters and managers drew sev
eral million dollars from the confiding
public, very little of which escaped tho
clutches of tin- managers and went
back to the insured In the payment
of losses. How complete the companies
were bpollated Is shown by the report
of the receivers appointed for the com
panies when they were dissolved.
ILLEGAL HROKKRS.
It was also soon discovered that
a large number of persons were do
ing business In the state as brokers
without securing brokers' certificates
of authority. While thus depriving the
state of Its lawful revenue, these brok
ers were tempted to write business In
companies not licensed to d business
in the state, and likewise yielding to
the blandishments of outside brokers,
who offered large conimlrslons. wrote
poikies in companies, ihut were utterly
bogus. Determined steps were taken
to put an end to this practice, and a
number of arrests were made, the re
sult being seen by the large lncreaso
In t'le revenues of tho stato from the
number of persons taking out brokers'
licenses to uvold the punishments im
posed by law for not having them. As
un example of what was accomplished
In this way: After the report of a
largo lire in Pittsburg, an Investigation
Continued on Pane 2.