MAY YET FORCE FRANCE TO WAR Ccnnans Attitude is Causing Much Anxiety. TDE I'M TED STATES IS CAUTIOUS. Conference Between Secretary Root and French and Qcrmis Ambassadors Wash Ington Government Not lalerferlog Olbcr Neutral Power May Try to Bring France and Oermany Together. Washington. I). C, ( Special). The news received litre from Algcciras is by no means encouraging of a speedy and harmonious rcu!t. It is complained that the German representatives. arc not acting in absolute Rood faith and that the propositions which they bring for ward from time to time are merely for effect, as it is known to the Hermans themselves that they must prove obnox ious to the French delegates to the con ference. The French delegates di-play. accord ing to the advices received here, an al most equally unyielding spirit, and it would not be suprising to Washington if the conference adjourned before long, leaving the vexed Moroccan question in such a delicate position that hostilities between the continental powers might re sult. The German Ambassador. P.aron Steniburg, and the French Ambassador, M. Jusseraiid. called on Secretary Root at short intervals, but no information was given as to any news they might have received from Algcciras. It is intimated here that the failure of the conference in expected by Germany, and indeed, not unsought, and that the German government is perfectly willing to make the Moroccan question the pre text for another war with France, be lieving that the conflict is inevitable and irrepressible, and that the German Army and conditions generally in the empire are now better adapted for the final struggle they ever will be again. While other neutral powers will no doubt continue efforts to bring Germany and France together, the United States government will maintain its policy of noninterference in so delicate a contro versy. Edward May See William. London, (By Cable). Reuters Tele gram Company is informed that King Edward will shortly meet Emperor Wil liam at sea or at some port. The an nouncement, however, is unofficial. St. Petersburg, (By Cable). The Moroccan conference continues to ab sorb the attention of the diplomats here. King Edward's approaching visit to the Continent is regarded as a hopeful sign of the possibility of an agreement being arrived at between Germany and France, and it is the general expectation that the Outside powers at the conference will seek to induce the disputants to sub mit the points on which they cannot agree to the decision of the full con ference. In government circles, however, the crisis is not considered to be pas-ed. The Svet, which has always been noted for its nnglophiibistn, says it believes France was drawn into her present posi tion by the belief that she would have Great Britain's support, but that she is doomed to disappointment. "England, as usual," says the Svet, "will prefer to reap the fruits of the quarrels of others, which helps to fo ment Germany's inflexibility, which is explainable on no other hypothesis. England will not draw the sword and France cannot now withdraw. The world will wake up some fine morning and find the German troops at Nancy.'' It is learned from an indisputable source France feels assured of the sup port on the question of policing Moroc co of a majority of the delegates to the conference in order to demonstrate fal sity of Germany's contention that France reprsents only the minority view. FAMINE IN NORTHERN JAPAN. Condltlon of Suf'irtrs Said to Be Worae Than Described. Seattle, Wash., (Special). The steam ship l)?kota brings advice from Nagasa ki thrt the famine situation in the north ern provinces of Japan is steadily grow ing graver. A second appeal has been issued bv W. E. Lampe, chairman . of the foreign committee of relief, in which he says: "When we i-sm-d our first appeal to the 'oreign communities in Japan in De cember we estimated that 6K0.000 per sons out of a population of 2,Hji,ono were on the verge of starvation. Since then members of our committee have personally visited 2ti counties and as many towns in the Provinces of Myagi and Fukushima and have distributed 9.000 yen. Our first figures estimating those affected by the famine are too weak to describe the actual famine. "Able-bodied men, ragged and hungry, are facing the snow anil icy winds to bring wood from the mountains in the hope of earning enough through its sale to keep the strarving families. Women are covering their babies with their own cloth ing to keep them warm, and such condi tions as these can mean only death in the end. Families once proud and com fortable are now reduced to want." The appeal tells of special instances of suffering and death. (ieorg Small Indicted. Mount Holly. K. J., (Special). The Burlington County Grand Jury found a true bill of indictment against George Small, colored, for the murder of Miss Florence Allinson at Morcstown on Jan uary 18. Rufus Johnson, also colored, who was arrested in Baltimore and con fessed to murdering Miss AHinson, but who subsequently charged Small with the murder is awaiting execution for par ticipation in the murder. Coitellane'i Creditors, Paris, (By Cable). An application was made to the civil tribunal of the Seine in behalf of a money lender for permission to levy on the household goods in the Caste'lane mansion to sat isfy a claim for money advanced to Count Boni. The lawyers of the Count- less resisted the request on the grounds Jhat the goods are her separate property. 'The case finally was referred to a judge 'In chamber to determine whether a por tion of the Count's belongings are in the mansion. LATEST NEWSINSHORTORDER UOMKHTIU Sir Alfred llarmsworth, chairman if the protection committee of the British policyholders of the New York Mutual Life Company, has. urged Stuyvesant Fish not to resign, but to continue to support genuine reforms. Pittsburg Street railways and gas supply have practically passed from con trol of the Philadelphia company to the United Railways Investment Company of San Francisco, the deal involving nearly $.10,000,000. Attorney General Mayer denied the application of William K. Hearst, who wanted him to institute proceedings to annul the charter of the Interborough Metropolitan Holding Company. Secretary Taft discussed government aid of railways at the hearing of the lloiie Committee on Territories on the l.overing bill for the government guar antee of Alaskan railway bonds. President Patrick Dolan, of the min ers of the Pittsburg district, is reported to have broken down from the severe strain to which he has been subjected. Dr. 11. Preston Pratt, x-ray . expert, said ill Chicago that universal blindness is to be humanity's penalty for the ben efits of electricity. The body of Joliann Hoch, the Chi cago Bluebeard, was taken from the potter's field and buried in Elmwood Cemetery. The remains of ex-Speaker Henderson were buried with distinguished honors in Dubuque, la. Gustav A. Closson, of Morrisvillc, Fa., was sentenced to be hanged for poison ing his son. The Southern Bank and Trust Com pany of Fort Smith, Ark., closed its doors. Plea of gui'ty was entered in the Nor folk and Western Railroad $4,500,000 bond forgery case in New York. All the defendants except Charles T. C. T. Colmey pleaded guilty, and were remand ed for sentence. A deal by which the immense ore pro perties of James J. Hill. 011 the Mesa ba Range, pass into control of the United Stales Steei Corporation tor JO years is about to he consummated. Two daughters of George Storcr, of Camden, Michigan., were fatally poisoned by canned saunon which had been left in the can sometime after it was opened. The Board of Directors of the Penn sylvania Railroad met in Philadelphia, and made announcement of several ap pointments and promotions. Plans arc afoot to construct a 10-mile elevated road in Chicago to connect with rapid transit lines interlacing Illinois and Indiana. Testimony was given in the Grecne Gaynor case as to Capt. O. M. Carter's deposits in five banking institutions. A second Chinese commission, headed by Prince Tsai Tsi, has arrived 111 San Francisco. John D. Spreckels is seriously ill with grip at his home in San Francisco. It is alleged that, in connection with the case of Bcrthc Claiche, the French girl charged with shooting and killing linil Gerdron in New York, the crime was planned by a policeman, and that the woman shot her old lover to win a policeman who was present to help make the arrest at the time of the mur der. Kuhn, Lobe & Co., the New York bankers, have resigned as directors of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and some other railroad corporations, and, while retaining iuterc-ts in railroads, will devote more time to their banking in terests. Robert Collier, editor of Collier's Weekly, states that he is -willing to spend over $too,ooo to expose Colonel Mann, of Town Topics, and that he has been pursuing Mann since Town Topics at tacked his father. Mrs. Josef Hoffmann, wife of the pianist, is crossing the Atlantic to recov er her six-year-old son, who she claims was brought to America from Italy by her divorced husband. George P. Eustis. 10KK1GN The new commercial treaties between Austria-Hungary and Germany, Italy, Russia and Belgium, and also the new Austro-Hungariaii autonomous tariff, en which the treaties were based, have be come effective. Financiers have proposed to Premier Wittc to take over the Russian govern ment railroads for $750,000,000 and oper ate them under foreign management. A dispatch from Shanghai says French Catholics are blamed to a certain extent for the trouble leading up to the mas sacre at Nauchang. A tight at Tanuncrsfors, Finland, with bandits who robbed the Russian State Bank at Helsingfors, cost four lives. 1 he Austrian government continues to impose extreme measures upon Hungary, even to suppressing the press. The Japanese government has a scheme for nationalizing the Japanese railroads. Amba-ador Mever has advised Amer icans claiming damages during the recent internal disorders in Russia to press their claims through the regular Russian courts. Mendez Capote, leader of the Cuban Moderate party, vice president-elect, an nounces Ins desire 10 witnuraw ueiore vole of presidential electors is actually cast. The British naval estimates for 1006-7 propose a net total expenditure of $159 U7.sOO, being $12,500,000 less than the estimates for the present financial year. American, British and German gun boats are proceeding to the nearest port to Nauchang, where the French Jesuit missionaries were killed. Another setback to the reactionary policy of Russian Minister of Interior Durnovo is said to forecast his retire ment. French troops charged a mob trying to prevent an inventory being taken of the Church of St. Sauver, at Mazamet. The illness of both Balfour and Cham berlain has caused postponement of the debate in Parliament on the fiscal bill Assassinations, bomb - throwing and robbery continue in full swing in Po land and the Caucasus. King Edword's physician, as was to be expected, denies the rumors of his ill health. Motions for reducing the period of ser vice in the French army were defeated. The Paris court adjourned the Castel- lanes separation case for a fortnight. A gloomy view is taken among diplo mats at Si. Petersburg over the tension between Germany and France in the Moroccan conference, and one ambassa dor of a great European power says war is inevitable. President Roosevelt's congratulations to the German Emperor and Empress on their silver wedding anniversary were presented by Ambassador Tower. Germany has decided to make another concession to the French views on the Moroccan question, providing France will meet her half way. 19 PEOPLE KILLED BY CYCLONE Property Loss At Meridian Put At $1,000,000 Many Persons Were Injured--About 4oo Small Houses Topple Under the Terrific Force of the Wind In a Few Minutes. Meridian, Miss., (.Special). Nineteen persons arc known to have been killed as a result of the tornado which swept over a section of this city shortly after 6 P. M. Twenty-four persons were in jured, and property with an estimated value of $1,000,000 was demolished or otherwise damaged. Many sensational reports were sent out from here of an appalling loss of life, due probably to the chaotic condition of affairs immediately following the visita tion of the storm. A mass-meeting of citizens of Meri dian was called and $8,000 w: i imme diately subscribed to aid the destitute and injured. The Mississippi Legisla ture, in session at Jackson, appropriated $5,000 for the relief fund. Governor Vardaman at noon secured a special train and dispatched it at once with convicts to Meridian. The city now enjoys the unique spectacle of convicts aiding in the rescue work. Hunter George, president of the Board of Trade, was made chairman of the general relief committee, and J. W. Donovan was elected secretary. The tornado which played such hovoc appeared in the southwest at 6.27 P. M. A low, funnel-shaped cloud was seemed to form near the city. A heavy down pour of rain had been falling when sud denly the humidity became intense. With a roar that could be heard a great dis tance the storm approached from the southwest and descende'd upon the city. The greatest loss of life is reported from the cast end, in what is known as the "cotton mill settlement." The cotton mill there was partially wrecked and probably 400 small buses were demol ished or badly damaged. The tornado swept Front Street and wrought great damage there. Many houses were demolished and others were partly damaged. The electric-light plant was partly wrecked, ana to auu 10 me terror of the situation the city was thrown into total darkness. Lanterns, candles and even coal-oil lamps were used by the people in seeking places of safety. The tornado also did severe damage on Twenty-second Avenue, be- Firs al Wesleyan. Middletown, Ct., (Special). Wesley- an University sustained a severe loss by fire when old North College, containing 150 rooms, was practically destroyed. irh started in the attic, burned so rapidly that little was saved. The loss is placed at $80,000, covered by insurance. . The burned building was crccicu m iR7 and formed the nucleus of the pres ent college group, and was of great his toric interest at Wesleyan. About all that was saved from the fire were tlie valuable college records of President Ravmond and Professor Nicholson, the secretary of the faculty. All of the 150 students' in the building made their es cape, and many icu me uouiniuiy m their night clothes. Kooievelt's Gilt to a Church. ' Washington, D. C. (Special). Presi dent Roosevelt has joined with King Edward of Great Britain in a notable gift to the old llruton Parish Church, at Williamsburg, Va. When Harry St. George Tucker, president of the James town Exposition Company, was abroad few months ago King Edward pre sented him with a handsome Bible for the church, which is the successor to the original church at Jamestown. Thursday Mr. Tucker called on the President, and while talking to him of exposition mat ters, told him of the gift of King Ed ward. The President immediately 01 fered to provide a lectern on which the Bible might rest. Minister Seat to JalL Omaha, Neb. (Special) Judge Mun- gcr, in the United States District Court, overruled the motion for a new trial in the case of Rev. George G. Wade, of Lead, S. D president of the U. B. I. Cattle Company, recently convicted of conspiracy to defraud the government by means of illegal homestead entries. The judge then sentenced the prisoner to imprisonment for one year in the county jail, at this place, and to pay fine of $1,000. An appeal will be takn. Wade has been for many years pastor ol the Episcopal Churches at Lead and Dead wood, S. D. Raised $84,000 la Fifteen Minutes. Nashville, Tenn., (Special). In 15 minutes the convention of the Student Volunteer Movement contributed $84,000 toward prosecution of missionary work during the next four years. The meet ings were crowded. 1 hursday night 6,000 persons joined in the chorus of the hymn, The Son of God Goes forth to War," followed by the Lord's Prayer, reoeated in concert by thousands of voices. Bishop Thomas F. Gailor, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was the chief speaker. To Tun Dowa Castro. Paris (By Cable). According to in formation which has reached official quar ters here a revolutionary movement against Venezuela is on foot. The rev olutionists are concentrating on the Is land of Trinidad, where they are await ing arms and supples, previous to land ing on the Venezuelan coast. A Meeace to Peace. London (By Cable). In introducing the navy estimates in the House of Com mons Financial Secretary of the Admir ably Robertson commented on the fact that since The Hague Peace Conference the naval expenditure of the great pow ers had increased 50 per cent., reaching the enormous total of $507,500,000. He regarded this inflated expenditure as a menace to the peace of the workl, and thought that a league peace was desir able. For a Mlncr'i Convention. Indianapolis, Ind., (Special). 1!. Wilson, international secretary-treasurer of the United Mineworkers of America, issued the official call for special nationla convention to convene m Tomlinson Hall on inursaay, jviarcn is, The call is sinned by President Mitchell. Local unions are to select delegates as for regular national convention, and aiiain I. too delegates will gather here "for the purpose of considering the wage scale and the tranaction of such other business as may lawfully be brought be fore the convention." tween Front and Raiiroad Streets. Sev eral houses on this avenue were partly wrecked. The storm lasted for only a brief period, many persons claiming that the entire destruction was wrought in the brief space of five minutes. Among the buildings destroyed or practically ruined were those of the Thomas Lyle Grocery Company, Klinira's restaurant, Meyer - Neville Hardware Company, Grand Avenue Hotel, Thorn ton's Transfer Company, Culpeper Ho tel, New Orleans and Northeastern freight depot, Young Men's Christian Association building, Meridan Chair Company, the city electric light plant, W. J. Woodside & Co., Pearcc Compress Company, Gulf Compress Company and innumerable smaller buildings used by workmen and negroes. It is generally understood that there was but little, if any, tornado insurance carried and the loss will, therefore, fall heavily upon the owners of the damaged property. The residence portion of the city was safe from harm. Meridain has always considered itself tornadoproof. Mount Barton and the Sand Mountain Hills were accepted as a sentinel against such disasters. The Sowashee Valley was crossed by the storm, and this was most unexpected. Will Ethridge, a young man, was car ried 100 yards through the air and set down well balanced on his feet unhurt. The only damage done to the immense shops of the New Orleans and North eastern Railroad, which were directly in the path of the storm, was the unroof ing of the roundhouse ; the roof was hurled about 100 feet. The freight de pot was destroyed. The records, papers and everything contained in the building were lost, the first floor being blown away from under the second. The upper floor was crowded with clerks, but for tunately no one was on the first floor. None of the clerks was more tlmii 'slight ly hurt, and no lives were lost. A row of brick buildings along Twenty-sixth Avenue, from the freight depot to Fifth Street, was demolished. The store occupied by Lyons & Co. was swept from its foundation and hurled across Twenty-fifth Avenue and Second Street. Prof. Snead Buroed to Death. Washington (Special). A dispatch from Christiansburg, Va., says: "Pro fessor Snad, of the Montgomery Female Institute, committed suicide by saturating his clothing and bed with oil and then setting himself afire. He returned from a Southern trip, and after retiring to his room his screams of agony awakened the faculty and pupils, who rushed to the room to find him writhing in flames upon the floor. He lived only a few hours. His mind is supposed to have become deranged through brooding over the long incurable illness of his wife." Plan to Honor Franklin. Paris (By Cable). Ambassador Mc Cormick and Premier Rouvier are plan ning a notable Franco-American cele bration on the occasion of the unveiling of the statue of BcnjUmin Franklin, April 20. Former Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith, of Philadelphia, will be the chief speaker, and it is probable that ex-President Grover Cleveland and cx- Presulcnt Loubct will be asked, resnec- tively, to head the American and French honorary committees. Conspiracy la Colombia Washington (Special). The follow ing dispatch, dated at Bogota, Colombia, was received at the State Department: Another group of prominent men, in eluding Fernandez, ex-Secretary of War, and Chief of Police Ramirez, have been arrested for conspiracy. The former has been exiled to Curacoa and the latter has been tried by court martial. The would-be assassins of the President have not yet been apprehended. The police are potroling the city armed with rifles Ex-0overnor Hogg Dead. Houston, (Special). Former Gover nor James Stephen Hogg died Saturday at the residence of Frank C. Jones, his law partner. Mr. Hogg had been in failngi health for a year or more. His condition was not considered critical by lus physicians and he was planning trip to Battle Creek, Mich. Governor Hogg reached Houston Friday night and, feeling ill, took to his bed. President Was Sponsor. Washington (Special). William Loeb 3d, the infant son of the Secretary to the President and Mrs. Loeb, was chris tened Saturday afternoon at the resi dence of Rt. Kev. Henry Y. Satterlee Bishop of Washington. The President and Mrs. Roosevelt acted as sponsors for the child, who was born on December 26 last. Bishop Satterlee conducted the ceremony of christening. FINANCIAL Rumors are again current that Union Pacific will distribute a big extra divi dend. Marrimans mends brand as untrue the assertion that he is trying to wreck the Illinois Central preparatory to buying . I . 1 IT 'I' 11 lor uic union I aeinc. Northern Central directors were re elected at the annual meeting of share holders. It had been expected that the committee appointed several years ago to see what could be done toward leas ing the Northern Central'hnd the Penn sylvania, also to recommend that the dividend rate be increased, would make a report, but nothing was said about it at the session. In seven months of this fiscal year Baltimore at Ohio s gross earnings in creased $5,480,000 and the net profits gained $2,381,000. Nearly half the net increase came in January. If there is no setback earnings of $6. 000,000 for the current quarter or nearly $1,000,000 in excess of earnings in the last quarter of 1005, are predicted for United States Steel. The Cleveland "Iron Review" says "While the demand for pig iron and some fi.iished products is not as active as was a few weeks ago evidence of much strength in the market is not lacking. Chinese engineers on Manchurian rail ways get $ia to $4$ gold a month, and Japanese engineers are seeking positions on the Asiatic continent at these pre vailing wages. ON THE CRUST OF A VOLCANO ruptiort in China Likely at Any Moment. WARSHIPS HASTENING TO CHINA". Oealle the Fact Thai the Stale Department Refers to the Outbreaks as Spasmodic, It Is Believed All Foreigners la China Are Irt Danger The (impress at Mircy ol Viceroys. Washington, D. C. (Special). At the State Department it was stated that no further news had been received from Vking concerning the massacres of mis sionaries in China. In view of the fact that none of the victims of the massa cre were Americans no official action by his government is called for. 1 he State Department repeated its assur ances that these outbreaks against for eigners were sporadic and were not the results of a concerted movcmei.l like the Boxer uprising of tooo. At the same time every representative of this gov- rnmrnt in CJnna has been notified l the Slate Department to keep this gov ernment thoroughly posted and to make necessary arrangements to warn ail Americans from the dangers that may threaten them. In spite of the confidence expressed in Washington that there is 110 serious danger of a general uprising in China, it is held 111 nonoflicial quarters here that Americans residing in China, es pecially in those portions of the empire removed from the large cities are in the gravest danger. China, it is believed, is in a condition of ferment exactly similar to that which existed in Russia a year or two ago, and which led to the frightful revolts and ghastly massacres in so many portions of the Czar's empire. It is be lieved that there is a distinct body of re volutionaries in Chin.H who are constant ly stiring up the people, just as did the agitators in Russia. In Russia the gov ernment has fell itself strong enough to repress these rebellions with an iron hand, but the Empress of China has no Cosiacks and no army on which she can depend. lhc Empress undoubt edly regrets these uprisings against for eigners when they threaten to cause her serious danger from the govern ments of the victims of her people But there is no disposition to prevent the feeling of hatred against foreigners. That the Chinese government is secret ly encouraging the boycott of American goods there is no doubt, but it is equally certain that the government at Peking would protect the foreigners if it dared. It must be remembered that the Em press at Peking is after all largely at the mercy of the viceroys of the great provinces of China. The greatest of these viceroys was Li Hung Chang, and because Li was loyal to the Empress and suppressed the Boxers, in 1000, that uprising proved futile. But Li Hung Chang is dead, and none of the present viceroys has taken his place. Every vice roy in China is practically the king of his own province, and his allegiance to the government at Peking is as earnest only as he chooses. Fvcry viceroy has his own army which he pays lumse.f. and as a rule the soldiers know only their viceroy, and the government ai Peking is a shadowy conception that re presents little or nothing to them. Peking. American Consul Gcnern Rodgers telegraphs from Shanghai that the 14 American missionaries who fled from Niuchwang all reached Kmkiarj; in safety. I he gunboat El Cano is proceeding from Nanking to the scene of the trou ble. The battleship Ohio, flagship of the American fleet on the Asiatic Siatio.i, has sailed from Manila for Hongkon , where she will dock and rush repairs so as to be prepared for possible exi gencies. PRINCE EITEL A HAPPY QR00M. Royal Wedding In the Oerman Capital. Berlin (By Cable). The Duchess S )- phie Charlotte of Oldenburg, daughter of the reigning Grand Duke of Oldenburg by his first marriage with Princess Eliz abeth of Prussia, and Prince Eitel Fred erick. the second son of r the Emperor and Empress, were married at 5 o clock P. M., in the chapel of the palace by the court chaplain. Dr. Dryander. Rain was falling on the chapel dome, but the inside was lit by hundreds of candles, showing the delicate costumes or uniforms of about 500 persons belonging to the royal families of Germany or 'the principal no bility, the cabinet ministers and a num ber of generals and admirals. Ambassa dor Tower and Mrs. Tower were present 111 the diplomatic circle, as were Lieu tenant Commander William L. Howard, the naval attache, Mrs. Howard and Miss Howard; Capt. Wm. S. Biddle, Jr.. the military attache, and Mrs. Biddle ; Third Secretary Nelson O'Shaughnessy and Mrs. O'Shaughnessy and Second Secre tary John W. Garret. Led 300 Against 3000. Cincinnati, O., (Special). Major Jo seph M. Kennedy, aged 72 years, died at his home near Middletown, O. He was on Genera Fremont's staff in the Oivil War, and distinguished himself by gal lant conduct in the famous charge al Springfield. Mo. He suffered wounds in this charge that left him an invalid. In this charge 300 Union men charged 3,000 Confederates. Kennedy was promoted from leutenant to major that night for bravery. Flight el Chinese. Shanghai (By Cable). The Nauchang magistrate, the injury to whom was the reputed immediate cause of the attack by natives on Catholics and Protestant missionaries a few days ago, is still alive, though his wounds are dangerous. The native population of Nauchang is fleeing, dreading the arrival of armed forces from European and American gunboats. There have been many arrests. The of ficials of Nauchang are urgently asking the viceroy of the Province of Kiangsi to come personally to Nauchang! Man Starts Blaie In Hotel. St. Louis (Special). While laboring under intense mental excitement P. T. Hughes, of Lincoln, Neb., began throw ing furniture around in his room 011 the 'third floor of the Comfort Hotel, finally overturning a lighted lamp and starting a fire. Hughes and J. A, Courtney, js years old, superintendent of construction at the Missouri Pacific Hospital, who also occupied a third floor room, jumped from a window to escape the flames. They fractured their skulls and arc in a critical condition. The flames were extinguished with small loss. LIVE WASHINGTON AFFAIRS. Plans I-or l .vaslon. The General Staff of the Army has completed its plan for the invasion ol China by an army of the United States should the necessity for such an actior arise. President Roosevelt called tipor the War Department for n copy of it! plan for military operations in China which, it is understood, be has caicfuib lead .Mid approved. One of the mo-t important function! of the General StrlT is to prepare plan; for' possible campaigns against a for eign enemy. At the time when the boy cntt against American goods was insti tnted in the southern provinces of Chin! the General Staff i nmediately began pre piriug for trouble in the Chinese Em pire, and the plan for military operation! jr.! submitted to the President is th( result of its work in that direction. Of course the scheme outlined will bt kept confidential by the authorities o! the War Department. But sufficient has leaked cull to indicate that it contem plates the thr-iwtng of an army of about -x.con iittn into Southern China as soor it becomes evident that the Chinese Government is unable or unwilling te protect American interests and lives in its Empire. About 5.000 of these troops would lie taken from the Philippines and the rcm.'.ining 15,003 from the I'nited tates. I he question of transportation, subsistence and equipment has been worked out iti detail and the final orders looking to preparations for an expedition to China have been formulated. Evervthing. of course, with regard to an invasion of China by an army of the United States hinges upon the word "if." Reports received by the State Depart ment indicate that a general uprising in China may be expected and that the lives and interests of American citizens, as well as those of other foreign resi dents of China, arc in jeopardy. It is to prepare for such a conutingency that the plan has been worked out. A cable report received by the Navy Department states that the United States gunboats El Cano and Quiros have ar rived at KiuKiang. up the 1 angtze River, near Nanchan, where the French and British missionaries were recently massa cred by an abortive uprising. It is un derstood that the 14 American mission aries and their families who escaped from Nanchen have arrived at KiuKiang, and that they will there go aboard the F'l Cano and Quiros and he transported to a place of safety in Shanghai. Ntw Venezuelan Charge. Seuor Vclcz, the retiring Venezuelan charge d'affairs, called at the State De partment and presented to Secretary of State F.lihu Root his letters of recall. Senor Guzman-Garbiras, the incoming Venezuelan char-re d'affairs, called at the State Department and presented his letters. An intimation has already been re ceived by the State Department that Senor Guzman-Garbiras would request the United States to arbitrate the diffi culties between Venezuela and France. Jt was stated by a high official that if such a request was made by Venezuela it would be refused. Hermann Enters Demurrer. Counsel for Representative Binger Hermann, of Oregon, who is under in dictment in the District for destroying official records of the General Land Office, of which he was commissioner, file:! a demurrer alleging defects in the indictment. The indictment, which was returned March 5, 11)05, charges Mr. Hermann with destroying 35 letter-press copies ol official letters cor.curning the affairs of the Laud Office. For Many Monuments. The Senate Committee on the Library has made favorable reports on a numbei of monument and memorial bills, as fol lows : For a statue of John Taul Jones in Washington, $50,000; of Gen. James Mil ler at Petershoro, N. H., $5,000; for a monument at Point Pleasant, W. Va., to commemorate the battle of the Revo lution fought there on October 10, 177 $10,000; cquestarian statue of Maj.-Gcn. John Stark at Manchester, N. H., .$4. 000; as a part contribution toward the erection of a monument at Province town, Mass., in commemoration of the first landing of the Pilgrims at Cape Cod, $40,000; to aid in erecting a momu ment on the battlefield of Princetown, N- J-, $30,000; for the preparation of a site and erection of a. pedestal in Wash ington for a statue of Henry W adsworth Longfellow, $4,000, and a joint resolu tion for the erection of a monument to Dorothea Lynde Dix at Hampden, Maine, $10,000. Ralls Cost More Here. The selling price of steel rails abroad and for use in the United States was one of the subjects on which David W. Ross, purchasing agent of the Isthmian Canal Commission was examined by the Sen ale Committee on Interoccanic Canals. He showed that he had purchased from American mills rails for use on the Isth mus at from $1.50 to $250 a ton less than the prevailing price to railroads in this country. President Roosevelt has asked Con gress to appropriate $100,000, to defray the expenses of the delegates of the United States to the Pan-American Con gress in Rio de Janeiro next spring. Secretary Shaw appeared before the House committee in advocacy of the law requiring the licensing of custom-house brokers. The Army Appropriation Bill, car rying more than $09,000,000, was passed by the House, after five days of consid eration. ' Major Gillette has given up his com mission in the Army to become super intendant of the Philadelphia filteratien plant. ' The House passed the Forakcr bill providing for the marking of Confeder ate graves in the North. The House committee favorably re ported the bill to -abolish the grade of lieutenant general. Secretary Thompson, of the Lafay ette Memorial Commission, reports that 1 lie Lafayette monument in Paris will be dedicated on the anniversary of the urrender of Yorktown. Midshipman John H. Lolland and Earl W. Chaffee, who were reinstated by the President after their dismissal for haz ing, have resigned. The Postofjlice Appropriation Bill as completed by the House subcommittee carries about $!0,;:,ooo,oco. Lieutenant Commander Naomi Tani guchi, naval attache of the Japanese Le gation, called on the President. Rear Admirals Colby M. Chester and French E. Chadwick were placed on the retired list. ) General Grosvenor made a public itate-j ment, declaring that he wa not an appli-t; cant for consular appointment THE KEYSTONE STATE The Latest Pennsylvania Newt Told In Short Order. Judges Shull, of Percy County, and Koozcr, of Somerset County, were, the gucstes of honor, at a reception tendered in Altoona by the Blair County Bar Asso ciation. Rev. R. P. McPherson, pastor of the Baptist Church, of Bangor, has announ ced his resignation to take effect shortly. The resignation came as a surprise to the members of his congregation. He has accepted a charge at Clearfield. The Pine Grove Free Reading Room started by public-spirited citizens three years ago was closed on Thursday. Lack of appreciation and support waj the cause. Board of Directors of Milton Fair Association elected James C. Tacker, of Sunbury, president; Dr. J. H. Miles, vice-president; Edwin Paul, secretary; and It. R. Fricic, treasurer. Dates se lected are October 2, 3, 4 and 5. Jacob Frederick, an old resident of Milton, and a veteran of the Civil War, . died, aged 67 years. He leaves a wifo and four sons. Paul C. Ebersolc, car inspector, was drawn beneath the wheels of a freight train in York and crushed to death. Assessed valuation of taxable real estate in York for 1906 will be nearly $20,000,000, in increase of about $700, 000 over the assessment made for city and school purposes last year. Election of officers of St. John's Com mandery, No. 186, K. of M.. Strouds burg, took place with the following re sult: S. K. C, George A. Dunning; gen eralissimo, J. L. Shick; captain general, Milton S. Kistler; prelate, F. B. Dreher; recorder, A. L. Snyder; assistant re corder, C. B. Eilenbcrgcr; treasurer, W. W. Eycr. senior warden. H. D.' Chambers; trustee (eighteen months), R. B. Keller; representative to Grand Commandery, W. W. Eyer. Past Sir Knight Commander R. B. Keller, a can-' didate for sentinel of the Grand Com mandery of Pennsylvania, received the' vote of every past commander of St.1 John's in attendance. j The first trout fry to be distributed in, streams in the anthracite region was sent Thursday morning from . the Mount; Pleasant Hatchery and will be placed in the headwaters of the streams in the vicinity of White Haven, Bowman's,' Lehighlon, Allcntown and Bethlehem. ; E. J. Gallagher, of Pittslon Junction, received a letter signed by Black Hand declaring that his life will be forfeited unless he places a large sum of money on a small railroad bridge at Duryea.j iThc letter is signed by four Italian' names and a skull and cross bones. Mr. 1 Gallagher has turned the letter over to It-he police. ' It was learned that Mrs. William IIoman, aged 60 years, wife of an old soldier, lost her life in the fire which damaged the Williamsburg Opera House.1 The body was found burned to a crisp.' A moving picture company was giving an cntertaiment when a gasoline tank exploded. The audience of less than loo persons fled in a panic to the one exit. It was supposed that all got out in safety. Elsie Baker, one of the enter tainers was injured by jumping from a window. The monetary loss is esti mated at $10,000. State Factory Inspector Delaney caus ed the arrest of Lewis Roessel, manager of a silk weaving mill, on the charge of violating the child labor law. Roes sel entered $300 bail for his appearence at court. Fifty lives were sacrificed and 10 wid ows and 35 orphans created in producing 4,182,466 tons of coal, the total output on the eleventh district according to the annual report of Mine Inspector Fen ton, just issued. The district comprises 14 collieries and employs 10,791 men. Compared with last year, the report shows an increase production of nearly en per cent. The record for divorce proceedings in Ucdford County was reached when mas ters' reports were filed in seven cases nd decrees were signed. About thirty other cases arc now pending. The Hamburg Vitrified Brick Com pany, Limited, whose plant was destroy ed by fire in December, 1905, has begun '.he erection of a new $75,000 plant. Whirled round a shaft at the plant of he Montello Brick plant, at Reading, John Kindt, a laborer, received injuries from which he died a few hours later. Harry A. Collins, of Montreal, imper ial potentate of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of the United Stales and Canada, ivas tendered a reception by Rajah Tem ple, Reading. Charles Wesley Wasson, pastor of the High Street Methodist Episcopal Church, jf Williarmport, has been transferred to jrace Methodist Episcopal Church, of Oakland, Cal., and the pastor of that rliureh, Rev. A. B. Blades, is transferred to High Street Church, Williamsport. Pure Food Agent W. A. Hutchinson 'ias prosecuted the following Bedford and Somerset County butchers: William Koonts, N. H. ' Weaverling, Everett; Donohuc & McGirr, Bedford; H. B. Freeman, F. S. Williams, J. C. Lichliter, Wiudbcr; Elk Lick Supply Co., Salis bury; Mercantile Company and W. W.' Nicholson, Myersdale. All are expected to pay fines. After paving a bill at his meat market, Butcher John Davis, of Altoona, left a roll of bills aggregating $125 lying on his counter and went to wait on several customers. Returning for the money, he found it had disappeared. The York County Sabbath Association will endeavor to have enforced the "blue laws' covering worldly employment on the Sabbath Day. v The general store of Walter Hetritk, of Freedom, York County, ws destroy ed by fire, The loss is probably $3000. Fire which started in the bathroom in the home of Police Officer James Mur ray, at Chester, caused a damage of $600. Mrs. Murray had to be carried out of the house, having been found in an un conscious condition in the kitchen. It is now predicted in railroad circles that 'the Wabash passenger trains will be- running through Allentown before another year has passed. It is said also that the trains will go through to New York city. This, according to report, is to be a via the Philadelphia & Read ing line from Shippensburg. Prof. S. C. Schmucker, of the West Chester Normal School, refuted some popular impressions in bis nature study talk'on "Needless I'ears" to the Reading School teachers, "Bats do not get into women's hair," he declaired. "Dragon flies can't harm anyone. And I have been bitten by pretty nearly every kind of snake and can postively say that the copperhead and the rattlesnake are the ;only harmful ones hereabouts. It is probable that often as not poison results from an overdose of whisky after a ! snake bite rather than from the bite it iielf. The poison should be sucked out 'nd no whisky should be used."