WAGE STATEMENT DOUBTED. Testimony of the Workers All In. and Owner Began Their Fight Before Strike Commission. The argument of the conl opera tor wero outlined hoforo tlm strike commission at Hcrnntnn, Pa., after the mine workers linl tloscrl their tnse, Doremlier 17. Pointer ('onurops man Simon 1. Wnlverton. counsel for the l'iiliailclphln lli-iiilinn ronl innl Iron C'ompnny. fotl tint tho litrne operators would tittimul to prove that the Unltel -Mlm Workers or Amorica are ntti'mptlim to form n monoiwly of the lnlior supply needed In mining of cunl; that, nfter thn sol l lenient of lflon, there was n concert ed effort on the iNirt of the miners to restrict the output In orch-r to pnevi-nt the prciilnrcrs from ncctinui latliiB a stock of e;nl to meet enter KencioH, mien fih Hoods an I ntrlkre", that, the rate of aei In the anthra cite region In Bct'i-.illy higher thnn that In the soft eon! region: that the system by which real Is welched a I. present Is the only sytfioni prnHlcn Me; and thnt the mlnois nml laborers i!o not worlt olnht hours, but ordi narily less than six hours. The Inde pendent operators tn their statement. Insist, that the miners' union slinll not discriminate' aiwlnst or rcfiiso to work with ncn-unlon men, and tliat the wnce queRtlon must bo Hiibjeelod to an examination of conditions at each colliery. In regard to the wa'e ipiestlon, tho statement says: "We think the commission, before tiikinir any action. lookltiK to an Increase of wares, should carefully consider upon r. hem such lncreaso must fall. Of 'iur?o, any Increase in cost of pro duction ultimately rests upon the con sumer. There Is no nttthoruV to tax one class of the poor in older to con tribute to the etnifort of another." The attorntys for tli" miners took ex ception to thn wane statements hand ed to the commission by tho Pennsyl vania Coal Company. The alleged unfairness of the vai?e statement came to the notice of tho commission us a result of its inquiry Into the child labor question. Several llttlo Kirls testified that they worked nil night in a silk mill In order to help their lathers along, who were employed In the mines nnd received poor pay. Kverctt Warri.n, who represents the H'rlo Company, which controls the Pennsylvania Coal Company, handed to tho conimlKsli.il a memorandum showing thnt one father last year re ceived about. $1,400 for himself and laborers, and that tho other father re ceived $1,11110 for himself and labor era. The miners placed the two parents on the Bland, and they swore Tuat tho earnings mentioned was di vided anions from four to nix men. In reply. General Manager W. A. May of tho Pennsylvania Coal Company, naid: "The company does not keep i record of the Individuals tn a eon- raci or me nnmner. it onry Keeps he names of tho -.nun in whoo naniu It ho place Is run. 11 can bo possible Jthnt In that place there are more men than tho company ban any cognlz- anco of, but that Is entirely outside its province. Tho company, he said. does not pay the lalmrer, is only payn tho man In whose name the place np jiears." AT THE NATIONAL CAPITOL. Tho coal famine is affecting the vovernment buildings. Some would have to be closed if bll..ard weather came, and rigid economy has been ordered. Secretary Hay hns cabled to Am bassador Tower at llerlln to ask the iicrman government to define for thW country exactly what. It meant by u "peaceful blockade." Lieutenant Colonel H. J. Foster, commanding thn ltoyal Kr.slneers on the Island of Guernsey, has been ap pointed military attache to the Brit ish embassy at Washington. The arrangements for tho funeral of Mrs. Julia leut Grant, widow of the former President, will not bo mode until General Frederick 1). Grant, one of hor sons, arrives from the West. WbJ on his way to the White House Postmaster Gcnctal Pa,vnc imtfered n attack or acute Indiges tion. He was taken to his hotel and two physicians wero summoned, who afforded him relief. General Tasker II. fills, who was Kent to Havana to aid Minister Squires in drafting a reelprocltv treaty between the United States anil Cuba, hau delivered to Secretary liny the treaty signed in Havana. The Italian ambassador InfornieJ Secretary Hay that Italy hud Joined Great Britain and Germany In the operations against Venezuela. He requested that Mr. IVrwen asMimo charge of tho Italian interests in Venezuela. The President sent to tho Seuui.e the reciprocity treaty recently negi tlated between tie United states and Cuba. The treaty was received by the Senate in executive session and was referred to the committee ou for eign relations without being read. The) State Department has been notiaed that the French claim Is that France should be privileged to come Into the combination and . divide Venezuela customs receipt or what ever other means of revenue might, be selected on even terms with othor nations. The President nominated Lloyd C. Ui-lsoora, of Philadelphia, now min ister to Persia,- to be mlnlBtcr to Japan, and Richmond Pearson, of North Carolina, to be minister to Persia. W. H. Bishop was nominated to succeed Mr. Pearson as consul gen eral at Genoa, Italy. Tha state department has melvod from United Htate Consul lleluirod at Apia, Samoa, a report that on No vember 2 last two supposedly extinct crater In the volcano of Mauva, Apia, on the Island of flarail, broke into violent eruptions. CONGRESSIONAL NOTES. LVII. CONGRESS. Three-State Bill. After the Senate Monday bail agreed to the House resolution for a holiday recess front December 20 to January fi. It briefly discussed the Mil to reorganize tho National Guard, Mr. I'eltuv, Alabama, moving to ittrlke out the provision for a reserve force of trained Boldlnrs on tho ground that It Is a direct Infringe ment of States rights. Thn bill lor the admission of New Mexico. Ari zona and Oklahoma as States wns taken up. Mr. Bute. Tennessee, sub mltted tho report of the minority of tho committee on territories, favor ing the bill. Mr. Quay, Ponnsyl vwnla, said that as tho Senator from Minnesota (Mr. Nelson) had suddenly nnd tumtiltnonsly withdrawn the sub stitute, which provides for tho admis sion only of Oklahoma ami tho In dian Territory tut one State, It wns bis desire to know If Mr. Nelson In tended to re report the substitute. Mr. Nelson said It was bis purpose to re-report It. Mr. Dillingham, Ver mont, Bpuke In favor of the subull title. Rural Free Delivery. The House Monday passed the urgent deficiency appropriation bill, carry Mm $."iw,(ino, to oradicato the foot and mouth disease ainoin cnltlo and $500,0110 for tho rural free deliv ery service. Tho Senate bill to pro vide for a Union railroad station In Washington at a cost of $.OiHt,tino was passed. Tho Senato amend ments to the miners' strike commis sion bill were disagreed to and the bill sent to conference. Ratified 8pan!sh Treaty, When the bill to admit New Mex ico, Oklahoma end Arizona as States was called up in tho Senate Tuesday Mr. Iillllnnl'iim, Vermont, concluded his speech In opposition, and It was agreed that there would bo no further discussion until the Senate reassem bles on January !". A joint resolution w.i a lopted appropriating $.1,000 for the purchase in' a bronze bust of tho lato President McKlnley. Mr. Mor gan, Alabama, asked that Ills resolu tion llxlng the salaries of Istluninu canal commissioners at $5,000 a year bo referred to the committee on In teroceanle c.tnula, which was done. In executive session tho Somite rati fied the treaty of friendship with Spnln. Bureau Transferred. The House Tuesday passed the bill transferrin from tho treasury de partment to the department ol agri culture the s)wer to establish regu lations fir the tuipprcsslou of con tagious discuses umong live stock. Mr. Martin, of Sonvh Dakota. Intro duced a bill making October 1 tho an niversary of the discovery of Amer ica, a legal public holiday, to bo known ns Columbus day. Passed Deficiency Bill. Tho Senate Wednosday pas.W tin pension appropriation bill, carrying Si;i9,K4H)on, which hud previously passed the House. An urgent defi ciency bill of $1,110,000, liieliiiliurf S.'iiHl.OOO to aid in eradicating tho fool nnd mouth diseusn among entile, was tilso passed. Mr. Burrow h, Miihjguu. resigned from tha committee on'mlll tary nffulrs, so that Mr. Aiger might have a committee ariolntenl. Mr. Itepow, New York, Introduced a bill providing that emergency curreucy may bo supplied by tho treasury to any National bunk with a capital of not less than $"i0,00i) to the extent of 50 per cent if tho bank's capital. The extra capital is to bo supplied only in case of a stringency in tho money market. Eulogistic addressee worn made in memory of the Into Mr. Sow ell, of Now Jersey, and thn Semite nd Jonrwd to Monday. Funds for Anti-Trust The House Wednesday passed the legislative judicial ami executive u,i propiluitlon bill with an amendment appropriating $'(M,0)0 to enable the attorney general to prosecute tho vio lators of tho Sherman anti-trust iaiv. Thn hill to prohibit military and naval hands from competing with civilian bunds was defeated by a volu or SO to 43. Pure Food Bill. licpresentativo Dal.ell presided ver the House Thursday In the ub fence of Shaker Henderson. A res olution was pa.-isml calling upon the secretary of state for the facts re gaming live Venezuelan filtiuitioii and e statement of its effect upon the Monroe doctrine. Tho bill to reduce Ihe tariff on 4 mparts from the Philip pines to 25 per cent of the Dlnglev ratis was passtMl alter a motion fci tree truilo with tho Philippines had been defeated by a volo of !l to IS 2. The pure food bill, to prevent adult eration, misbranding iin l Imitation of food, beverages, candies, drugs and condiments, was taken up ami dis cussed until tho cbitie of the day. Passes Pure Food Bill. Tho Hoiiho Friday pasnl tho pure food bill by a vote of 72 to 21. It pro hibit luterbtnto cuuiuicrc.e in any article of food or any dru that is ndultcratcd or nilshraudod. i Hyndman Bank Clcted. Pfimiitr.illop lt thi rirrp..n,tv tll.t.r. ley has closed Uiti National bank of South Pennsylvania, Hyndinun, l'u., and has appointed Walter 11. Maaon, bank examiner, receiver. Tho fail ure of the bank is said to Lave been due to losses suaUluod through loans mane to ofuccra and directors, New Trial for Howard. The court of appeals at Frankfort, Ky has g run tod a new trial to James Howard, who is under a sentence of life imprisonment for the murder of Governor William Goeliel. Guarding Our Rignts. . Minister Bowen cables from Car cus that the guns of the allied Uoet which bombarded Puerto Cabello wore directed entirely at the forllfl cation taJ out at tb town. UOfHYlOSIMDMIR TO MEET EMERGENCIES. $50 000,000 Pool Ha Been Formed to Meet Any Extraordinary Monetary Demand. A $r0,000,UOO pool has been formed In Wall street for thet purpose of providing enough money to meet the legitimate demands of business be tween now nnd January IB of the new year. The pool Is headed by J. P. Morgan. It Is distinctly stated that the banker who arranged tho syndicate do not consider thnt con dition at present demand any ex traordinary ad Ion on their part. They have canvassed the situation and find that every Important liouse in the street Is In a sufficiently strong position lo tide over any emer gency. They have Informally arning ed, however, lo provide a sum which uhall be available If any extraordi nary demand arises during a time when the banks are pursuing a con servntrlve course, with a view towurl meeting tho enormous requirements lor January, which will this year ap proximate $2ii0,oi'0,noo. Tho Presi dent of one of the banks which is n member of the syndicate, said: "It merely amounts to an understanding among a number of the strongest financial Institutions in Wnll street that they may be depended upon to provide a certain sum of money If the situation should demand it. The situation up to this time does not call for any extraordinary action. Noth ing more definite has been worked out than that the leading financial Institutions of the city are prepared to rford what monetary relief may be necessary to prevent anything like extraordinary high money rates. For instance, In case of any suJilen advance In money rates, this yndl cute would go Into tho market and lenil money on a scale downward un til the cull money rate has been fixed at 0 per cent. The members of ilie poo! are: J. P. M organ ft Co., $j. ooo.nno; National Hank it Com merce, $5,(1(10,1100; Chaso Notional llnnk, $5,000,(100; Washington Nation al Hank. $5,0iio.noo: Park Mitioua! Bank, $5,no0,00; First National Hank, $5,ooo,ooo; National City Hunk, $5,000,000; Corn Excbnnge Hunk $2,500,000; Chemical Hank, $t,u'.H". 000; other city banks, $11,500,000. WAS INSURED FOR $340,000. Death of a Louisville Man May Have Been an Accident. 11. 0. Whnyne, who was found dead at Louisville, Ky In the vlilnlty of Jacob Park, with a gunshot wound In hi breast, carried life insurance of $310,000, and bad applications pend ing for $50,000 more. Coroner Kelly snvys the case will require exhaustive Investigation. Near Whaynes body, but on the opposite side of n wire fence, was a Bhotgun w 1th one bar rel empty and the other loaded and cocked. His friends and family de clare his death was due to an acci dent, and that the gun was discharged while 'bo was climbing through the fence. There is no suspicion of mur der, but he may- have committee sui cide, ns be was a sufferer from rheu matism. FLEET AT PRACTICE. Admiral Dewuy Preparing HI Tare for Great Evolution. Admiral Dewey, commanding the Imttleshlp fleet has sailed from San Jttun, Porto Kleo, for Culebra, to en gage the vessels ill tactical evolu tions. These evolutions are prelimi nary to the groat exen-ises which nro to follow the holhluys. Tho details of blockade problem are announced. The torpedo bontB Iniddo of Great Harbor will steal out and attack the hajtlcshipa lylnir not less than two mf.'H distant. Judges will be appoint- r to determine which Hldo Is vie- lrlous. The value of torpedo bonis will thus be demonstrated nnd the commanders are confident thnt the preludlce against this type of vessel will be swept away as a result of their bchnvior. PARENT8 TO Wy Factory Inspector Claim That Per jury Was Committed. Factory Inspector Campbell at liar risburg. Pa., has received a roport from Deputy Factory Inspector R. W, Bishop, whom he sent to Scruntou to ascertain If the girl employes of the silk mill told the truth when they testified bofore the coal strike com mission iliat they were under 1:1 year of age, uml yet were allowed to work. Mr, Bihhop reports thnt he secured the certificates sworn lo by the pur. ml a of those girls before the children were allowed to work and nil showed that the parents repre sented their ngo to bo over the legal limit. Bloodies 8urgery, Dr. Adolf Iirenz, of Vienna, con ducted his second clinic In New York city at the Polclinic Medical college anu nospnui. two young sunerers from congenital hip ditslocatlpn were noemted m bv Dr. lirenz. Oiia or the children was suffering from dis location or txun nips. . -me left hip was reduced In four mluutes and the dislocation of tho right lilp In eight minuter. Looted Bank of $3,000. Tho bank at Clarence, - 111,, wu: robbed of $'l,0o(i by a finng who cut Uiu telegraph and telephone wire to prevent an alarm being scut. Cltt zen were awakened by the explosion sud chased the robber, but they es caped ou a bund car. Coming Are 9,000 Boer. Nearly 8,000 Boers, it Is ald, are preparing to come to America, and will settle In Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. LATEST NEWS NOTES. First of 65 Carneglo 'libraries was dedicated In New York Saturday. Three bandits attempted to hold up Texas bank. Two are dead and ono In jail. Admiral Hlgglnson, with four bat tleships, will spend holidays at Trini dad, within easy reach of Venezuela trouble zone. An attorney of Canton, O., sued a barber for $200 damages for an Innr tlBtlc hair-cut. The New York board of aldermen voted $250,000 to buy coal for the poor of tho city. Beult Blshoo, colored, wns lynch ed at Marbury, Ala., for the murder of Wade Hicks. Shore connection of Pacific cable was made at San Francisco and snip tnrted for Honolulu. President Roosevelt will attend the dedication exercises of the St. Loui3 exposition next April. United Stales army and navy ofll rers said to be Implicated In smug gling good to Porto It'co. Dr. Harper announced Christmas gift of $1,000,000 from John I). Hocke feller to Chicago university. Five children were killed nnd their mother badly hurt by explosion of acetylene gns at Port Lee, N. J. Thomas Tobln was convicted In Now York of murder In the first de gree for killing James I). Cralt, Interstate comtnorce commission has started nn Inquiry Into cause ol recent Increases in freight rates. Action of Great Britain and Ger mnny In shelling Porto Cabello was Inexplicable to Washington officials. Italy ordered her mtnlsler, Slgnor Hlva, to leave Caracas, Venezuela, nnd go on board tho cruiser Giovanni 1'aiiKan. The name of the Itev. J. F. Itegls Cunevln hns gone to the pope for ap pointment ns coadjutor bishop of Pittsburg. President Roosevelt has signed the commission of A. B. Anderson as United States district Judge for In diana. The ftenmor SilvertoA-n. laying the telegraph rnble from San Francisco lo Honolulu, Is making eight knots an hour. The ptenmer Murluy foundered dur ing a voyage from Liverpool to Dub lin, ami it Is supposed 10 men were drowned. Comptroller Kldifoly told New York Stale Bankers' assoclnt.lou that the law makes It too Jifllcult to rctln bunk notes. The United Stutca government has for the second time used arbitra tion upon Kngland and Germany In Venezuelan dispute. Albert Lawrence, a postal clerk, between Buffalo and Pittsburg, was in rested, charged with embezzling 51 letters and held in $2,000 ball. Imports of raw silk from Japun, valued at $5,0(o,ooo, have pnsued through Ogdcnshurg, N. Y., coming from Snn Francisco by way of Cun ada. Muthlu II. I't.ler, pleaded guilty at Hasting. Mich., to murdering -Mrs. Robert Garrison and was sen tenced to solitary confinement for life. J. V. O'llalre. one of the locators of the Portland mine at Cripple Creik, Col., has filed a suit at Col orado Springs- to recover $3,000,000 frcm tho company. After undergoing repair In the Bremerton navy yard the battleship Wisconsin, recently returned from Pananin, will follow the Orejrou to the Aiilutlo stutlon. Louis Stern, a note broker, was ar rested in Chicago, III., while. It is ns iiertod. he was attempting to dispose of alleged forged commercial paper umountiug to $7,500. The List, steamer from Now York which will reach Kuropo before Christmas, tho St. Paul, 1ms sallej with $4IO,015 In money orders pay able In 15 Kuropeaii countries. Colonel John V. Kla, of Philadel phia, delegate lo tho Civil Service Reform convention and president of the Civil Service Reform league, of Chicago, died lit a hospital of paraly sis. Beef packers in suit In Chlcugo deny thut the United States has Juris diction against lliom under tho inter state commerce law for discrimina tion in rates or because of a com bine. General Manager G. L. Potter, of tho Bultlmoro and Ohio road, an nounced the appointment of M. 1.. Byers, engineer of maintenance of way, ns assistant to the general man ager. City Marshal R. W. Coulter and Justice A. K. Mil sg rave, at Farming ton, la., wero fatally wounded by Goo, Stlllwull, a deputy fish commissioner, who was afterward shot to death by a posse. ' Kussla Is pressing Chlnn to assent to the establishment of customs and postnl services at the principal stu tlons of the Manchmiuii railroud, these stations to be uuder Kus-ilan supervision, and ludependont - of the. Chinese maritime customs. Louise K. Karnes, cluluilug to be the only child of the late Lester U. Karnes, of Oltuwa, 111., has asked a Chicago court to nullify an agree ment by which ahe accepted $10,000 to relinquish her claim on his $1,000, 000 estate. Admiral Dewey, In a cablegram re ceived ut the Navy Uopartmont, dated Sau Juan, December 11, announces the opcnliui of the fleet maneuvers by the combined squadron under his command. Kxpreys Messenger CoIbou was killed aud Mull Clerks Kelly and HlgK severely hurt by tho fall of a train on the Alabama Great Southern railroad through a trestle 70 mile south of Birmingham, Ala. Tha French authorities ore con vinced that the death ot Mr. Ellen Cora was accidental IHE flEfl HEM! S10RM CENTER. PLAN OF ADMIRAL DEWEY Fighting Vessel Hav Been Assigned to Varlou Place on the Continent-Plan Approved. Tho navy department has contrib uted the most Important develop ments I11 the Venezuelan situation In the form of a cablegram from Ad Iral Dowey announcing the proposed Itinerary i;f the vessels rf bis fleet during the Chrlstmus holidays. The plan provides for no undue concen tration of ships along the Vene zuelan coast, and no prudenly and advisedly have Its details been drawn tup that Secretary Moody cabled to the Admiral the department's ap proval of his orders. This will set Ht rest the rumors thnt tho United Statm contemplates complicating the Vcnozuelnn situation by dispatching a largo naval force to l a Oimlra us an offset to tho allied fleet. Admiral Dewey' cablegram, dated Sun Juan, In to this effdH: "Proposed itinerary of vessels for Christmas holldaeH. "Kearsarge, Alnbama, Massachu setts, Iowa, Scorpion, to Trinidad; Illinois, Indiana, Hist, to St. Thomas; Texas to Polnte-a-Pltro; Chicago, Newark, Ragle, to Chicago; San FOanelsco, Albany, Wasp, to Mflyaguez; Cincinnati, Atlanta, Prat tle, lugs, torpedo boats, to San Juan; Culgoa, to Mayoguez and Sun Juan; Olymifin, Nashville and Machlas, to St. Kltts: Detroit, to Antigua; May flower and Vixen, to Puerto Rb-an water land vicinity, nnd Dolphin to Antigua nnd Vicinity." In reply Sec retary Moody sent the following ca blegram: "Carry out propone .1 Itin erary. Merry Christmas." According to tho approved plans, the principal fighting ships of Admiral D.'Weys fleet will rendezvous at the Island of Trinidad, right off the coast of Vene zuela, and at St. Thomas. Rear Art mirnl Hlgglnson, commanding tho North Atlantic squadron, will have command of the battleship Meet ut Trinidad In bis flagF.hlp Kearsarge, with Hear Admiral Sumner com manding the South Atlantic squadron on his flagship Iowa as second in command. The fleet at St. Thomas, which Includes two battleships, will bo under the command of Heur Ad 01 Ira I Crownlusbleld, commanding tho European squadron, on his flay; shilp Illinois. Tho fleet of cruisers and smaller vcsnols which will anchor ut St. Kltts will bo In command of Rear Admiral Coghlnu, commanding thn Caribbean division, on his flag ship Olympin. Admiral Dewey will retain tho converted cruiser May flower as his flagship, nnd will spend inop.t of the ten days' holiday at Sun Juan. It Is stated at the navy de partment thut the delay In tho do pnrturo of the battleship Wisconsin from Snn Francisco for tho Piiget Hound nnval stutlon ut Bremertou, Washington, where sho is to be fitted out for -service on the Asiatic! sta tion, was iu order to await the ar rival of her new commander, Captain II. II. MoCalla, who was ordered from Washington for that duty. BIG STEEL MERGER. U. 6. 8teel Corporation Tike Ovor the Union Company. Tho deal merging the Union Steel Company and Its recently acquired Sharon Steel Company properties, with the United States Steel Corpora tion has been concluded. Juile 1". H. Gary, chairman of the executive committee ot tiie United Stutes Steel Corporation, announced ofllcUilly that tho ccmpany had been taken over, and that it. would be paid for by a bond Issno of $15. 000,000, tho bond? to be Issued against the properties of the new compunles and guaran teed by tho purent corporation, both for principle and interest. MURDERED FOR MONEY. Michigan Farmer's Wife Killed While Alone Laborsr Arrested. Airs. H lieri '.arrison, n middle nged womuu. wife of a farmer near Bedford, Barry county, Michigan, was murdered, uml John Drnr.tllngHr, who bus been employed on a neighboring farm to the Garrisons, since last full, was arrested nt Buttle Creek, chargjd with being Mrs. Garrison's murderer. Mr. Garrison, the woman's husbund. a short time ago sold his farm for $1,-100, and It Is supposed that rob bery was the primal cause of the murder. Round House Collapse.! The roof aid supports of the roundhouse In the I'eiinsvlvanla Rail road Company' Wept Philadelphia yards collapsed, burying more thun a score of workmen and 31 locomo tives. A fire broke out in tho ruins but tho flumes were quickly extin guished. Several of tho injured bus tallied broken limbs, but none wer,': seriously hurt. Italy Sends Another Warship. The Italian cruiser Agordat ha Iteen ordered to proceed ut once fi:i Venezuela. Limit for OWoe-Holder. Senator Scott, ot West Virginia, introduced a bill in Congress amend ing tho civil service law to provide thut all persons employed In the classified service shall serve six years and shall be eligible to another six-year terra only. To Improve Immigrant. Tho manager und executive com mittee of the Sous of the American Revolution met In New York and plans were marked out for the edu cational ci'uunlttoo In a moveuiunt to Americanize the foreign lmrulK'rauts to this couutry. Will Pay In Sliver. . Unofficial advices have - reached Washington that China Intend to pay lh next Installment ot tha "Boxer Indemnity in sliver. . REVIEW OF TRADE Order for Product of the Mill nd Factories Run Far Into the Coming Yesr. R. O. Dun Co.' "Weekly Review of Trade" say: Holiday trade ha exceeded the most sangulno expecta tions and retail dealings In all staple lines of merchandise are well main tained, with the better grades of goods In brisk demand. Wholesome conditions prevail In most section of tho country, although dn parts of tha Southwest the season has fallen be hind the average. liven In these case report are ennouraglng for tho fu ture. Industrial plants are well em ployed, orders running far Into the future, and labor controversies are rare. The only adverse feature of the season Is that supplies of fuel are utterly Inadequate, both for house bold and manufacturing use, and show Increasing delay r.f deliveries. Railway earnings thus far reported for December exceed Inst year's by 4.2 per cent, and those of 1900 by 10.4 per cent. The lamest producer of Iron and steel has over 6,2So,ooo tons of null I led orders on its books, and work Is being pushed as rapidly as supplies cf fuel and material will per mit. Two events of Importance have occurred in notation to the leading manufacturing Industry. The United 8tates Steel Corporation has greatly extended Its scope by absorbing out aide plants and certain desirable rail way connections. The other was the announcement of advanced freight rntcs, to take effect January 1, bIiow lug an average Increase of about 10 per cent on products of Iron and steel. Otherwise the situation Is practically unchanged. Supplies of coke d: not Increase and many fur nacuu aro Idlo. Contracts for bridge work and track elevators are freely nncre.l by the railways and accepted only on condition that the exact date of delivery shall not be speclflej. Despite tho fact that rail mills are sold cloi.e cp to the end of next year, new butinesp, g offered and urgent buyers are compelled to go abroad. New England producers of boots and lihona nro not seeking new business, which comes f 01 ward moderately In the form of supplementary order3. Prices (Irmly held, but no further ad vance Is repnrted. A reduction In quotations of leading lines of blench ed cottons stimulated trading. Thl division of the textile market Is now In g:;d condition. Iu the woolen goods market there la a fair volume of onlern, in many cases exceeding available offerings. Failures for Ihe week numbered 207 In the United Slate, nguinst 26,5 last year, and 18 In Canada, compared with 27 a year ego. Bradstreet' sa.ys: Whent. Includ ing flour, exports for the week ending December 18 aggregate 3.236,037 bushels, against 3,7tl,0i7 bushels last week, 4,4.12,8:12 bushels this week last year, and 4,12.".,35o bushels In 1900. Wl'"nt exports since July 1 aggre gate 123.7U3.533 bushels, against 1 10, ,!!. 21 3 bushels lust season and '(, 131,353 biisheln in 1 !(. Corn ex ports aggregate 1.520,141 bushels, Multilist. l.,30l,2U bushels hist week, ;-"'.o.4l bushels last year nnd C,ti5. 57s bushels In 1900. For the flscul year exports' are C,U8ti.327' bushels, l.gntiist 2ii.l 25. '.toil bushels lust sea sou and 90,371,974 bushels In 1'JOu. CABLE FLASHES. (iiiierul Nord, having been ac ch'.ltncd president of Haiti by the army, took pcs.iesslou of the national palace at Port Au Prince, Decem ber IS. Tho army under General Alexin Nord has occupied the arsenal und tho fortifications nt Port Au Prince. Haiti. Niimn, an adherent of M. Seneqno. has been elected president of the Senate. Advices of a soml-offlelal character havo been received that tho Colom bian army ofllcers at Panama and Colon are steadily but quietly making ready for nn Invasion of. Nicaragua to Htio canal routes. President Caslra has iUon Herbert W. llowen, United States minister at Caracas, plopary power to effect a settlement on behalf of Venezuela with Great Brlrnln, Germany nnd Italy. The Dutch cruiser Do Ruutjen, which It was purposed to send from Tho Hague to the West Indies, has been ordered to proceed to Vene zuela to protect Dutch Interests then-. The German government hao r it yet replied to President Castro's of -:r of arbitration In Venezuela, being still In correspondence with tho British government on the subject. It i;; intimated tL.it Germany's reply U not likely to be ready for Homo days. General Botha writes from Holland thnt be, General Dewct and General Delnrey propose to visit the United Mtntos after they have conferred with Chumhorlalu In South Africa. He says nobody in the United States ia nuthoi-ized to collect money for the Boers. The city of Audl)iin. Uiihslan Tur !.( Btun, a community of 30,ooo Inhabi tants, was tMtuliy destroyed by ;a ciii.hqiiaUe. ii. u not yet known hovr tUHuy lives were kft. Hliuka were felt, in New '.M:itKiiehin and the sur rounding viliuKis, aud too railway at Aiidijan was destroyed for u consid erable distance. The Belgium tiaiius a,;uiuhl Vene zuela amount to several million francs. They arise- chiefly from the non-payment of Interest 011 VcnezuoU un government bonds Issued as pur chase money for Che waterworks at Caracas, which was promoted by a Belgian company. . Tho under foreign fcocrotury. Lonl Cruuhorue, denied In the House ot Commons that tho British commun der was responsible for tho sinking; of the Venezuelan ships. He suld that hid majesty' government iiud been Informed that the German corn ruodore found it necessary to glnlt two ships, but Great Britain was not responsible for this. The Decadence of France. At the beginning of tho modern era the French nobility resolutely fitted Its stop to the forward march ot tho country, and In tho struggle against oppression It fought with the same courage and renunciation It had always shown on the field of battle. And when, In 1814, through the down fall of Bonaparte, the French revolu tion seemed to have spoken It Inst word, It was to her nobility that strick en France committed the task of up liftment. Every unprejudiced mind must recognize that ho two men who then delivered hor from tho nightmare of Invasion were Talleyrand and tn Due do Richelieu, both of the highest llenoge. In 1814 n in 1780, the nobil ity was at the head of every emanrlpa tory movement. It even hold tho first place In letter, tho Chateaubriand, nobleman, wns enlightening the ago with ray of his genius, while Iamar tine and Musset, noblemen both, wer fitting themselves to add their to hit end to make thnt union on" immense, dazzling splendor. 1902! All Is chang ed! The nobles aro nowhere not in power, not at he head of tho army of of any movement, political or Intellec tual. At the most, thiv remain shut up In the few chateaux that remain to them where, In their Imaginations, they exercise a prestlgo which no one except a few snobs with a passion fof trivialities can perceive the existence of. Nobility Is slowly but surely de veloping Into r collection of object fit for a museum. Translated from "La Noblesso Francalso," by the Marqul do Castcllano. Scientific Women. The Interesting announcement I made by tho Association for Promoting Scientific Research by Women of the offer of a second prize of $1,000 fo the best thesis written by a woman on a scientific subject embodying new on ervntlons nnd new conclusions based on Independent laboratory research In biological, chemical or physical clcnce. According to the rules of thf competition the thesis mnst bo pre sented to the Kxecntlvo Commltteo i tho association and must be In th hand of Mrs. Ella It. Rlchnrds. of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology In Boston before January 1, 1903. Th awsrd of tho prize will be made In April of that year. Tho theses for tho prize of $1,000 which was announc ed in Dr-cember, 1900. for research work of a similar character, aro due December 31. The award will be an nounced next A mil. Wealthiest Royal Family. The Russian reigning house has. It Is said, greater wealth than that of any other royal family In the world, says the Chicago Chronicle. In Rev. H. N. Hutchison's "Living Rulers of Mankind" It Is said that the minimum revenue tho Czar derives from the Crown and State domains Is estimated at $7,500,000 a year. More than 0 members of the Imperial family not In direct line of succession draw reven ue from landed estate set sldo for that purpose by tho Emperor Paul I, To these estate Is given the name of the Imperial appanage. They cover an area of 2,000,000 acre and the total Income derived from them I $10,000,. 000. Before the emancipation of the serfs 800,000 peasants were attached to these vast estate and were In a sense the property of their owner. THIS MARKETS. PITT8BURO. Qraln. Flour and Feed. fTe-Na. t na ..... ...... M Kr-No. ........ 6T Corn-No. (yellow. r M No. 1 follow, helled........ 63 Mixed ear ... 66 OtU-No. white ..... 87 ho. whit .... Floor Winter pieAI ... t M Fancy might winter.... t to Hy No. lllmothr 16 60 Clover No. 1 IS 00 Feed-No. 1 white mid. Ion 100 Urown middlings 17 60 Brn. bul 16 Btraw-Wlieat 8 60 OM S 60 re M "a 7 ru 4 0 t 96 l 00 lit is to is 00 17 eoo to Dairy Product. Butter Elgin creamery t at 1V Ohio vremnerj 8 Wi Fancy t .uDi roll ) l Cheese Ohio, new Hi 14 New York, new It lH Poultry, Etc Gene per lh ft ( btukens drennnll 17 (Cli-fi. and Oil 10, freah IM . Fruit and Vatabla Oreen Beane perbn.. ........ ...... ,.3 00 Hotatoee i nni'x. wmm er bus 60 Cabbage per bnla lit Ouloua per banal I 111 14 IS 7 SK 66 fat I BALTIMORE. rtoar Winter PaMnt... 1ST 8 90 Wheat-No. 3 red ... 71 TS Corn mixed 61 A S-tt , Si II buitar-Onio creamery W w PHILADELPHIA. Flour Winter Patent .3M 40S Wr.eat-No. a red 74 i:L Corn No. 2 mixed . DA bi Oala No. -A wiiue 87 IS butler Creamery, eitra t SI ague 1'enneylrauU nrata IM 17 NEW YORK. .Willi Wneat-Nu. 3 rtd.......- Flour-ratenta.. .... ..$3 85 400 18 HO no 781 10m ito. if Gate No, 9 Wlilie... ..... butter Creauierr f sa Slateaud t'eunaTlvaula... live avrnrir M 67 17 Central Stock Yard, Eat lflbrty, Pa. Cattle. Pr!m:i)eavy, IfflOto 1600 IU I. I 0 IU...J-'.$ I l.m.M.t-ct 6 .. 678 666 6 76 660 6 OU 4B 860 406 400 86 00 6600 ww iu awu iue-. Medium, 12U0 to um lb Fat naUera bull-tier, WM ts 1000 lb.. Common to rulr 60 a ts "a, i-uiiiiiion m rai .... a uu Common, togood tat built aud cswat UM Ulli b euwa, eaott Aim Extra aiUua cows, each I81M Hog. Prima heavy hogs l 6 60 ... 8 00 840 616 6 10 8 30 806 800 636 810 6 67 rruue medium weiguta beet heatjr joraere and medium 10 uo e uu 6iw U0 4 60 Uood pla and light lorkari'.T. vowmoa to lair kougus.,,, blag ShD. "xtra, medium weihere Uood to choice , ..$ J ... 8 40 418 8 76 -.., 1 uu Common to fair .V..... 1 60 (00 836 836 Lamb. Lam D clipped J-anibe, ood 10 choice, t LtmlM. oominon I.. flx!" .m. 160 6 W 6 10 4 7.1 bprlB Lambs , 30J 4 60 6UJ 68 Calv. 400 81 ... 80 ... 801 , (M 868 468 8 68 veal, eoainiea keaTy... am e m rar.. i - i
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers