THE WASHINGTON NEWS WHAT OUR NATIONAL LAW MAK ERS ARE CONSIDERING. " Some of the More Important Work of the National Congress—Bills That the Committees Report Favorably Upon—Washington Topics. The House has unseated Gasion A. Robbins, a Democrat from the Fourth Alabama District, and seated in his stead William F. Aldrich, a Republi can, who has been three times a con testant from the same district, on the ground of fraud. Senator Bacon has introduced an amendment to the Puerto Rican bill extending the customs laws of the United States to Puerto Rico, and add ing a provision for free trade between the ports of the island and the United States. The House Committee on Foreign Affairs has reported the bill for the reorganization of the Consular service on a civil service basis. A full attendance of Senators and tin unusually large number of auditors in the galleries greeted Senator Lodge March 7 when he spoke on the Philip pine question. The speech was lengthy, and soon after Its conclusion the Senate adjourned out of respect to the memory of Representative Harmer. The conference report on the Finan cial bill has been agreed to in the Senate by a vote of 44 to 26. Senator Nelson has Introduced an amendment to the Porto Rico bill extending the customs laws of the United States over the island of Porto Rico. Senator Hoar has given notice of an amendment he will offer to the Dip lomatic Appropriation bill providing for the payment of $250,000 to Liliuo kalani lately Queen of the Hawaiian Islands. In the House March 5 there was a sharp parliamentary struggle be tween Mr. Bailey, of Texas, and Speaker Henderson over a bill to in corporate the "Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Associa tion," some features of which the Texas member objected to. Mr. Un derwood (Dem., of Alabama,) was ap pointed to the vacancy on the Com mittee on Ways and Means, which it was understood was originally re served for General Wheeler had he returned to Congress. Senator Davis, of Minnesota, has offered an amendment to the Porto Rican tariff bill granting free trade to the island and extending to it the provisions of the Constitution, while implying that such privilege cannot be extended to the Philippines except by legislative action. Representative De Vries, of Cali fornia, has Introduced in Congress a joint resolution for the repeal of du ties on white or printing paper, and en the materials from which it is made. BURIED IN A MINE. Terrible Disaster in West Virginia— The Dead. At the Red Ash Mine, in the New River region, West Virginia, an explo sion near the entrance resulted in the entombing of 100 miners. Thirty seven bodies were recovered and a large rescuing party is at work. Cause of the explosion has not yet been as certained. Mourning, hungry women and chil dren have all day surrounded the opening of the mine from which hero ic rescuers, succeeding eacli other as staggered out exhausted, have taken ten bodies. It is estimated that forty men —dead or alive, are in the mines—a living tomb whose slab is huge masses of coal, slate rock, earth, crushed tim bers. It is almost vain to hope that any of these forty will survive, for the mine is on fire. One can better understand the ef fect of the calamity when it is stated that four-fifths of the miners were married. It may be added that the vast majority were white men. The Red Ash is a large drift mine and was heavily timbered. The explo sion occurred near its mouth, and its frightful force blew the bodies of a few men, threw mules and coal cars into the air. Part of a man's body was found on the limbs of a tree sixty yards from the mouth of the mine. The great side supports of the en trance were smashed. The fall of debris formed an almost impenetrable wall. But the rescuers attacked this wall, and after two hours' desperate work took out ten men, seven dead, three dying. Of the dead three were Black Long and his two sons. Long's widow was maniacal for awhile. There was no use for caskets. As the black and mangled corpses were taken from the mine they were laid in a blacksmith shop on the mountain side. The bodies were unrecognizable. So the grief of the women waiting there was the more extreme, for their was nothing on which to spend its force. Each woman prayed a burned piece of clay was not her man: each woman decided it might be. Mine Inspector Pinckney refuses as yet to make a statement as to the probable cause of the explosion. John Laing, the superintendent, came out of the mine not more than ten min utes before the catastrophe. Laing thinks the fire-damp gas was Ignited by a miner's open lamp. At the Carlisle plantation, near Chappell Hifl, Texa-:. King Howard, In a fit of jealous rate, st ink his wife with an iron bar. Ureal-itig her neck. The man then shoi Luke Taylor to death. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. Event* of the Week Toltf In a Pew Word*. Members of the Democratic Nation al Committee expect that the Kansas City Convention will finish its work in three days. Manila advices show that seven Americans were killed recently in fighting with the Filipinos in Panay. A funeral service for ex-Minister Phelps was held in Battle Chapel at Yale Sunday, ex-President Dwight de livering the address. The Prussian railways have ordered 165 locomotives and 1,100 freight and baggage cars, but the pig iron syndi cate at Berlin announces that It can meet only seven-twelfths of the orders for 1901. Queen Victoria's progress from Windsor to Buckingham Palace was made the occasion for a remarkable outburst of enthusiasm and loyalty on the part of the people of London. There arc rumors in Berlin that the Reichstag is to be dissolved, and that the Government will yield to the Agrarians on the Meat bill, as the Em peror has become convinced that their votes will be needed for the Naval bill. It is stated by intimate friends of General Harrison that ho is chag rined that his name should be so free ly used in the newspapers of the coun try in connection with public ques tions now under consideration, and es pecially that he should be made to ap pear as an opponent of the Adminis tration. A Chinaman at San Francisco died of what is thought may be bubonic plague, and the whole of Chinatown is now under quarantine. It has been decided that Queen Vic toria will visit Ireland next month, staying at the Vice Regal Lodge in Dublin. General Corbin has turned over to Mrs. Lawton, widow of Major-General Lawton, the fund subscribed by the people of the country. It amounted to $98,432.07. The Pennsylvania State Shoe Manu facturers' Asociation has adopted res olutions protesting against the duty on hides and leather. Ex-President Cleveland has left Princeton for New York on a pleasure trip to Florida. The National Convention of the So cial Democratic party mentions Eu gene V. Debs as the Presidential nom inee. Creditors of the Arm of Pulsifer, Cook & Co., paper dealers, have met at Boston. A committee reported that the iirm should pay 25 per cent. The report showed assets $ 143,985; liabilities, $259,567: contingent liabili ties, $24,010. The Postoflice Department has an nounced that on March 15 fifty-seven additional cities will begin the sys tem of registration of letters by car riers. Paul Blouet (Max O'Rell) at Mem phis, Tennessee, has been attacked by catarrh of the stomach. He will bring his tour to ac lose and goto Paris for treatment. The cruisers Detroit and Marble liead have been sent to Central Amer ica on the account of the occurrence of a disturbed state of affairs. The British cruiser Hermes, report ed off Cat Island, Bahamas, with her shaft broken, has arrived at Nassau. Her boiler was also damaged. The United States transport Grant has arived at San Francisco from Manila with 201 sick soldiers, twenty seven discharged men and twenty seven cabin passengers. Six deaths occurred during the voyage. Police Magistrate Mott has held Olga Nethersole, Hamilton Revelle, Marcus Mayer and Theodore Moss for trial, on the charge of presenting an immoral play, "Sapho," at Wallack's Theatre, New York. Ball was fixed at SSOO each. The Comptroller of the Currency has declared a dividend of 20 per cent, in favor of the creditors of the Globe National Bank, of Boston, Mass. Another death from bubonic plague has occurred at Sydney, New South Wales. DEAfH RECORD. William J. Vermilye, who had been treasurer of the Goodyear Rubber Company for a number of years, and for the last ten years manager of their plant in Middletown, Connecticut, is dead from pneumonia, aged 58. Dr. John Friederich. years of age, founder, publisher, and editor of the American Swiss Gazette, of New York is dead. Broadman Shaw, father of Governor Shaw, of lowa, died at his home at Morrisville, Vermont, aged 84 years. Major James B. Washington, one of the oldest officials of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and said to be the nearest collateral relative of George Washington, died March 6 in Pitts burg. Representative Alfred C. Harmer, a member of Congress since 1871 with the exception of a single term, is dead in his 75th year. Elida Wilbur, who has been asleep more than two years, is dead in Sao Francisco, Cal. Highest Wages in Thirty Years, The settlement of the Amalgamated Association wage scale for March and April lias been made and resulted in an increase from $5.75 to $0 a ton for puddling in Pennsylvania. This gives an advance of 4 per cent, to finishers, making an increase of 12 per cent, since July 1, or 37 per cent, over last year's scale. This is the highest rate paid for puddling since 1870, and nf fects several thousand men in East ern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. The scale was based on the selling price of bar iron for the preceding two months. WILL MAKE AN ATTEMPT. I Women and Scientists Bound for the Klondike on Automobile. Eight hundred mileß, more or lesai across the ley wastes of Alaska into the heart of the Klondike by automo bile. This is the task that three sci entific Frenchmen have set out to ac complish. These daring travelers are E. Jarine de Lamare, an officer in tho French Academy of Arts and Letters; E. Crom, a journalist, and M. It. Merville, champion motor-cyclist of the world and member of of the National Con servatory of Arts. MM. de Lamere and Crom have been to the Klondike before. A woman, already known to Klon dike fame and fortune —Mrs. Itoswell P. Hitchcock, author and explorer— says that she will accompany the au tomobile expedition. The gold hunters brought with them an automobile of five horse-power, which is run by gasoline, and a motor tricycle of three horse-power, run by petroleum. In describing his plans, M. do La mare said he intended to substitute runners for the rear wheels of his automobile and place a rim with saw teeth to the front wheel. Tho power applied to the front wheel will enable the teeth to maintain a purchase on the Ice while the runners slide swiftly along, imparting momentum to the automobile sleigh. In the wako of the .automobile will be dragged a sleigh, on which arc to be borne the camping outfit of the travelers, fifty gallons of gasoline, duplicates of the automobile parts and a tandem t>l cyle, to be used for exercise or warm ing up. It is intended to travel from Dyea by rail and pass to Bennet Ljtke, where the automobile journey proper will begin. From Bennet Lake the route will lie to Atlin City, a distance of 112 miles. This stage M. Lamare hopes to accomplish in one day. From Atlin to Dawson the distance is 650 miles. On the return trip from Dawson in the fall, M.de Lamare will transform his automoble into another type of conveyance. He will place the driv ing machinery of his automobile with in a canoe, substitute paddles for wheels and sail by gasoline power to St. Michael's. FIRE RECORD. The Theatre Franeais, the historical playhouse of Paris and home of the Comedie Franeaise, was burned March 8. Many works of art were des troyed, and a portion of the invalua ble library ot' manuscripts was burned. One person, a young net res*, lost her life. Fire at Lead, South Dakota, March 8, destroyed about forty buildings, in cluding a number <>f dwellings, ; nd caused a loss of about $."(00,000. The plant of the l'ayne Engine Coin, pany, at Elmira, X. V., has been des troyed by fire; loss. $100,000.-A falling wall struck three firemen, one of whom was cut on the head. The oth ers were badly bruised. Fire at Kingston, New York, has destroyed a large, four-story, brick building owned by Louis Etting & Sons. The American Express Com pany's office, A. Carr & Sons' under taking establishment and the"The Arcade" were also damaged. The loss will reach $75,000. Fire March 5 destroyed the four story building at 44 Flatbush avenue, Brooklyn, N Y., occupied by Harden bergh & Co., carpet dealers, and ad joining property. Loss, $60,000. Fire destroyed the building of the American Linseed Oil Company at Chicago March 6. The loss is $50,000. Vaults of the Farmers' Bank, at Farmington, lowa, have been robbed of about $17,000. NEW YORK MARKETS. Flour and Grain. FLOUR. Minnesota Patents, $3 TSGI3 90 Winter Patents, *3 50® 3 85 Winter Straights 3 40® 3 50 RYE FLOUR. Fair to good, 3 15® 330 Choice to fancy, 3 35® 355 RYE. No. 2 Western, bushel 60^4 State, 56 BARLEY. « Feeding, bushel, -u*;? 45 Malting, bushel, 4U® 54 WHEAT. No. 2 Hed, bushel, 77 V& No. Northern, bushel, 81 CORN. No. 2, 112 ob, afloat, bushel. ,3<<| OATS. No. 2, per bushel, 29 No. 3, per bushel, 28 Produce. HAY. Shipping, hundred lbs., 65® 75 Good to choice, do. 80® 85 HOPS. State, 1896 crop, pound, 6 1899 crop, pound, 12® 14 WOOL. Texas, pound, 14® 17 BEEF. Family, hundred, 12 50®13 00 Mess, hundred, 10 50 Beef Hams, hundred, 22 50®23 00 LARD. Western Steam, hundred, 6 35 Continent, hundred, 6 25® 6 30 PORK. M?bß, hundred, 10 25®10 75 Family, hundred, 12 00®12 50 BUTTER. Western Creamery, lb, 21® 26 Factory, per pound, 17® 19 State Dairy, per pound, 18® 25 CHEESE. Fancy small, 12%® 13 Late made, 11® 12 EOOS. State & Pennsylvania, 14© 15 Western ungraded, 13® 14 DRESSED POULTRY. Fowls, Western, choice, 11 Fowls, Western, fair to good, 10® 11 Nearby chickens, 11® 12 Nearby turkeys, fancy, 12® 13 Western turkeys, choice, © 12 Ducks, Western choice, 10® 11 Geese, Western choice, © 7 REEDER SELECTS NEWJUARTERS. More Desirable Building For the Republican State Com* miHfp Th«r Are Llalnir l'p Willi the I'urlj Organisation In I'repuratliin lor the Republican \ntlouiil Conven tion. (Special Correspondence.) Philadelphia, March 13. —General Frank Reeder, chairman of the Re publican state committee, came to town a few days ago for the purpose of selecting new headquarters for the Re publican state committee. The lease on the present quarters, on JkValnut street below Thirteenth, will expire shortly, and as it is the intention of the owners of the property to tear the structure down and rebuild for an apartment house General Reeder de termined to lose no time In securing other desirable quarters. After an in spection of several slteß he finally made a satisfactory arrangement with the owner of the premises formerly oc cupied by the Utopian club, a well known social organization of this city. This property is a four story brick structure originally intended for a residence, and it was so used for a number of years. General Reeder is having the building refitted so that several branches of the slate commit tee work may be properly accommo dated. When the alterations in the building are completed it will be one of the best equipped and most desir able political headquarters in the country. READER'S INNOVATION. It is noteworthy that to General Reeder must be given credit for tho Idea of having permanent headquar ters for the state committee, instead of following the practice of former years and locating in a hotel for a few weeks prior to each election. After each campaign the state chairman some years ago would bundle up the documents of the party and cart them off to a storage warehouse or to his own offices until they were needed in the following canvass. General Reeder declared when he first assumed the state chairmanship eight years ago that the great Republican organization of Pennsylvania should have a perma nent home where its party councils could be held if desired and where its valuable list of active Republicans, state, county and vigilant committee men, campaign documents and other data could be carefully arranged and safely stored and be available for im mediate use at any time. General Reeder selected the present headquar ters of the state committee, which have been occupied since 1892, and it Is worthy of comment that since these headquarters were secured the Repub lican party in Pennsylvania has not had a single candidate on the state ticket defeated and the majorities for the Republican party in the state have been steadily increasing until they fre quently represent more than the total Democratic vote. General Reeder's idea in taking a whole house for the state committee is that the active Republicans of the state, no matter from what county, whether near to or far away from Phil adelphia. can always, when there is a campaign under way, feel perfectly welcome at state headquarters and have conveniences for consultations with the state chairman or any of his assistants, with assurances of perfect privacy sueh as could never be guar anteed at a hotel, where the public at large have access. The new quarters are located at 1417 Locust street, about half a block west of the Academy of Music, which is at the corner of Broad and Locust streets. It is convenient to the Pennsylvania. Reading and B and O. railroads, and during the Re publican national convention gathering here in June next the Republican na tional committee will hold forth but half a block away, at the Hotel Walton. STALWART YOUNG REPUBLICANS. The arrangements for the Republican national convention are progressing favorably. Mayor Aslibridge has se cured nearly three-fourths of the guar antee fund of SIOO,OOO which was prom ised to National Chairman Hanna. and the work of refitting the Export Expo sition building will be begun in a few days. The plane of the Republican clubs of this city for the entertainment of the visitors are being perfected, and the indications are that Phlladelphlr will surpass the efforts of any conve; tlon city in this particular. J. Hatrn ton Moore, president of the Stat> League of Ftepublican Clubs, is at th head of the local organisation, and hi Is co-operating with Mayor Ashbridgc In all the arrangements. There will be many clubs from the Interior of Penn sylvania take part in the damonstra tlons during the national convention week, and a number of them will have uniformed delegations. The occasion will be made one that will be memorable in the annals of stalwart Republican politics. With the presence of Chairman Hanna, Sen ator Piatt, of New York, former Na tional Chairman Carter, Senator El kins, Senator Foraker and others of the stalwart Republican leaders there will be an Inspiration to the party lov ing Republicans of the Keystone state. The Insurgents, caucus bolters and par ty wreckers will be entirely out of place at this gathering. The young Republicans of Pennsylvania will avail themselves of this exceptional oppor tunity to attend a Republican national convention, and they are expected to flock hers in great numbers. They are already getting |p line throughout the state to be in touch with their party organization. Tho guerrillas of the Fllnn-Martln combine, who have no respect for party organisation and who recognize the rules of the party only when It is to their personul Interest to do so, are finding out that the young Republicans of this state do not pro pose to follow theft British leadership, but that they are going along with the regulars and will be found working with them at the primary elections, and when tho national convention toeets they wljl come hero iu the ranks •112 the stalwart Republicans of Penn sylvania to march and cheer with stal wart Republicans from every state IB ttt Union Shopbell, Gamble & Co., 313 Pine street, WILLIAMSPORT, PA., It's the talk of this town that we are showing the newest, up-to-date line of Dress Goods,Silks,Tailor made Suits,Jackets,etc and wan: you to get acquainted with us, if not in person, then by mail. Mail orders promptly and carefully filled. Samples sent on request. We have complete lines in every department. Domestic Department. SILKS, SILKS. Tnble Linens ami Napkins. Muslins There is nothing in the Silk line that and Sheetings; Ready made Sheets anil cannot be found here in almost nnv L'illow Cases. Ticking, Outings, Cracks, shade. Ginghanis.bennitns, Silkolines, Seersuck ers, Satinet-. Flannels, Cottonade and Otnei* Departments. Shirtings. I.adies Muslin Underware. The lar- Dress Onnri Dpnt gest Corset Department in town. Knit UreSS urOOa uept. I nderware Dept. Notions and Dress Black Colored, and Fancy Dress Goods Trimmings Dept. Lace and Fancy Good i'laids, Silk ami Wool, wash Goods, '« >r Dept. Cloak and Suit Dept. with the Summer Dresses. We carry the largest largest stock of iteadv to Wear Garments stock in Willianis|>ort. Skirts and Petticoats. Waists and Wrap pers. In writing for samples state just what you want. Shopbell Gamble & Co. Try The News Item Job Office Once. Kine Printing NEAT WORK \A T V"* * A. MODERN FACILITIES. W 6 I Tint To Please. THE REPUBLICAN NEWS ITEM. IS THE PAPER FOR THE FAMILY. Republican in Principle ! > S Independent in Thought * * Indomitable in Action. New York Weekly Tribune. For Nearly Sixty Years The Leading National Family Newspaper For Progressive Farmers and Villagers. An old, stanch, tried and true friend of the American People, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and the pioneer in every movement calculated to advance the interests and increase the prosperity of country people in every Stale in the Union. THE WEEKLY TRIBUNE is "The Peoples' Paper," for th<? eutire United Slates and contains all important news of the Nation and World. Regular .subscription price 1.00 per year, hut we furnish it as a trial subscription With THE ITEM 6 months for 65 Cents. Send all orders to NEWS ITEM Laporte. Ail SB.OO Dictionary for $2.00 The New Werner Webster's Dictionary. HPIPIH I We viVur you tho Kst put jj nerican Vilcttonurjj of English I.an- 1 111 "t-i'ti 1 ' 'f e^ iDtlree d r s ti "" a ion 'the hutoly,oris^l«n(j y coi> !&«&•%'-'-•• .of the languages of Western Asia BaßSßtt *%Y> ! i i»wa3i«la •rope with an explanation of the MBjgasa^ ! ■■ • ;.iile» on which languages are formed. Wtff. V | W®M*Clil e HraßTlil 'Mtt* of 10,000 words. Pronouncing Vo- - v. - .«?„ of Soripture nawe-r (.J reek and I Names, 1 ilttionary of Antonyms s. : onyma, Dictionary of Familiar Allusions, \xi\ f> t^etc , f S t^ l et t her R wl| t> if i v " !!P&y v&f =• .igsjpsi^ 5 Various Nations, U.&Naval Sig°- nalaof VariouiNationi,Yacht ClubSigiinK and Shoulder Straps for Officers. THIS IS FCT THE CHEAP BOOK but a beauii fully primed edition on fine paper with ihouf.mds of yaluable additions of aid to all student* of rood am soUr-ce. It is a grand educator of the Tiaases, now offered to our riders in a sumptuous stylo in kcepi: g with its great value to the people. Bound in Tan Sheeft with a beautiful cover design HI «1 poll at tho sum 11 prico of $2.00. makes it the handflome>t. low-priced Dictionary everpublish* i. I'or every day use in tee oflk-e, iiome, school and library, this Dictionary is unequaled. Forwarded bv cxpres* upon receipt of our special offer price, 32.00. If it is not as represented you may return it to us at our cxi*Hi*e and wo will reiund your money. Write us for onr special illustrated book catalogue, quoting the lowest pi tees <»n books. Address all orders to THE WERNER COMPANY, Publishers and Manufacturers. « AUKON, OHIO. [The WernerCon-.panv »h'- "- -'» ———————————— CATHARTIC ia&cajwto CONSTIPATION ■——rnrnmm I 111 I. I I .11 II 111 I. 11, I wmmmmmmAm
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers