j
liTO
Japanese Too Busy to Talk cn
that Subject N3w.
RUSSIANS WILL FIGHT HARDER.
General Stoessel Presents His Horse
to General Nogi Who Accepts
in Name of Army.
Japan has marie no overtures for
peace to Russia, directly jor Indirectly
through the "United States cr any
other power, anil contemplates no
such action, anil now that Port Arthur
has fallen, proposes to press the war
in the north all the more vigorously
by reinforcing the Japanese armies at
Llao Yang with the greater part of
the troops which have been besieging
Port Arthur. This i:i brief represents
the views of Kogoro Ta.kah.ira. tin-.
Japanese minister, who has recently
resumed charge of the legation at
Washington after a long illness at
New York.
"The fall of Port Arthur," said the
minister "Is but a step in the war
which Japan Is wafting for a principle.
Certainly it Is an important step but
nothing could be further from the
truth than the assumption that be
cause Japan has captured a strong
nold, the fall of which has long been
expected, the Japanese government
will now make overt urrs for peace.
Japan Is too busy fighting. We are
as much in earnest to-day. as we were
at the cutset of the war. We have
made i j overtures for peace either
directly or indirectly nor have ihe
powers approached us with any idea
of intervention."
At the Russian embassy. It was re
iterated that Russia would fight all
the harder in view of the temporary
loss of Port Arthur.
A special dispatch from Toklo says
that at the conclusion of the inter
view between Gens. Nogi and Stoes
sel, the latter begged to be allowed
to present to Gen. Nogl his favorite
Arabian charger. Gen. Nogi court
eously declined personal acceptance
pointing out that it came under the
category of war material to be sur
rendered, but he consented to accept
the animal In the name of the Map
anese army.
The Russian battleships sunk at
Port Arthur have not, as yet been
officially Inspected. The portions of
, those destroyed by the Russians at
the last .moment seem limited above
water. ja there are no signs of in
terior explosions, It Is hoped that the
damage done to them will be repair
able. The docks are partially de
stroyed and filled In, the gates also
being damaged. The great crane Is
intact and serviceable.
Conditions at PoH Arthur.
Advices from Japanese sources say
that the condition of Port Arthur is
vtmuuu, um uuii. u-eu. iNugi anu uen.
Stoessel are rapidly systematizing nf-1
fairs there. Gen. Nogi is prepared
through agents who have been recruit
ing for months, to put a horde of
Chinese coolies at work in the forti
fying of Port Arthur immediately that
the Russians are disposed of. Vest
quantities of cement and timber are
ready on the Yalu river for this pur
pose, while steel plates and other
manufactured necessaries are ready In
Japan for transportation to the fort
ress. The Japanese are confident that the
.refortificatlon of Port Arthur will
place the fortress In a better condi
tion than ever, with the Russian de
fects eliminated, long before Russia
can besiege it, if such a thing ever
occurs at all. Ammunition, food and
medical supplies to last for years will
be sent, to Port Arthur, Japan being
heedful of the mistakes made by tha
Russians.
Protest Against Smoot.
The Ohio conference of the re-or-'
ganixed Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints will be held in Col
umbus January 25 and 20. They will 1
protest against the seating of Reed
Smoot, or If congress has already i:n-.
seated him by that time, they will for
ward a letter of approval of that ac
tion to the government. i
JAP3 TOOK 25,003 PRISONERS.
' Number of Inhabitants at Port Arthur
Is 35,000, of Whom 20,000 Are
Sick.
The Japanese captured 25,000 pris
oners nt Port Arthur, of whom 20,000
are sick. The following report was
received from Gen. Nogl on the 4th
Inst:
"Order Is maintained at Port Arthur
by the officers. The people are quiet.
Our minute Investigation was not
finished until Tuesday night. Com
mon provisions and bread are plenti
ful, but there Is n scarcity of meat
and vegetables. There are no medi
cal supplies at Port Arthur. The
Japanese . are strenuously succoring
the people. The capitulation commit
tees are pushing their respective
works."
The weight of opinion In Japanese
official circles seems to be against a
belief In the early conclusion of peace,
and doubt Is expressed that the fall
of Port Arthur will materially affect
the situation. One of several officials
who discussed the question with the
correspondent of the Associated Press
to-day voiced the sentiment of the ma
jority when he said:
"We are confronting a situation
which continues to be purely military.
The present problem Is created by
Gen. Kuropatkln's army and by the
Russian second Pacific squadron. We
are devoting all attention to them.
We anticipate that the Russians will
renew more determinedly than ever
their effort to drive Field Marshal
Oyama back, and that they will strive
to gain supremacy at sea. We are
preparing to defeat both these objects.
The situation makes talk of peace
futile."
NEW YEAR STARTS WELL.
Spirit of Conservatism Dicappearlng
and Consumers Are Coming For
ward With Orders.
R. O. Dun & Co's. "Weekly Review
of Trade" says: Aside from some
hesitation at the South, owing to the
recent fall in pvico of cotton, business
conditions nrs favorable and opti
mistic sentiments ar evidenced by
extensive preparations for active
trade. As annual reports appear It
ts found that the closing mouths of
104 made a much better exhibit than
the fust half, which starts the new
year will) smaller stool s of goods In
the hands of dealers, assuring liberal
contracts In the near future for re
plenishing supplies.
Storms have again caused tempor
ary delay to traffic, but tb.3 ample
water supply Is a beneficent Influ
ence mere than offsetting any injury
to the aggregate. Gross earnings of
the railways in December were G.4
per cent.) larger than In the same
month of 19.13. Winter wheat condi
tions have improved, and the partial
recovery in cotton may prevent the
threatened curtailment In acreage.
Buyers are arriving In the leading
markets, and In another wee!: liberal
orders for spring delivery will be
placed.
Dispatches from the other cities are
generally encouraging. Inventories
and repairs are completed, the var
ious departments of the Iron and steel
industry steadily extend operations
and the sentiment is in striking con
trast to the conservatism that pre
vailed a year ago. New business Is
gradually coming forward, the needs
of consumers being felt in ail sec
tions of the market, while produc
tion Is no longer retarded by nd
verse weather. Ample water has re
stored full output at coke ovens, re
moving the -fuel difficulty, and also
facilitating transportation. Th mar
ket shows little evidence of Inflation
or artificial conditions, a mors whole
some tone pervading the industry
than at any recent date. Miner met
als developed some irregularity, owing
to annual statistics of supply, but the
consumption of coal is very heavy,
necessitating full operation' of prac
tically all collieries.
Failures for the week r limbered
200 in the United States, against 400
last year, and 25 in Canada, compared
with 37 a year ago.
COMPLAINT IS FAULTY.
Court Strikes Out Pleading of
Ohioan Against Standard Oil.
Judge Lanning, In the United States
circuit court at Trenlon, N. J.. filel
r.n opinion striking out the declara
tion in the suit brought bv George
nice, of Marietta. 0., against the
Standard Oil Company.
Rice sued for heavy riamaccri under
the Sherman anli-trust laws, claim
ing thrt the Standard Oil Company
had driven him out of business from
which he was making $.",0.00,1 a year.
The decision Is based entirely upon
technical defects of the bill of com
plaint, and does not r.o into the merits
of Rice's complaint.
TERGG TSLEGRAM3.
Forest fires on the bills opposite
Harner's Ferry exploded some ol.l
sVlis that have lain there since the
civil war.
. A hill and resolution are Introduc
ed in the United Slates senate pro
viding for federal regulation of rail
road rates for Interstate commerce.
At. the New Year's reception at the
White House Presiil"nt ' Roospvlt
sheok hands with 7.PS7 persons. The
reception lest 3d three hours and 27
minutes.
It. is said the booty which fell into!
the hand?, of the .laatncsa r.t Port I
Arthur only amounted to Sl.Of") tons !
or coal and two months' rations oft
rice.
Of 270 officers of the Russian armv
nt Port Arthur at the beginning of
the war, ISO have been killed or
wounded, manv of them while doing
duty in the forts.
Gen. Ptoess'l was assured that
neither Gen. Kuronntkin nor the Bal
tic fleet could aid him.
As the result of an assault made.
by two negroes on a firmer it Hone.
Ail;., one of the negroes. White Jet
ton, 17 years old, has been taken
from a constable and lynched.
The British consul's residence out
side Tangier was attacked by insur
gents during the night of January 4.
Guards drove the attackers away.
" A civil service systenTT similar 'to
that In operation In the Philippines,
is expected to be Instituted shortly in
Porto Rico.
Gen. Stoessel reported to St, Peters
burg that scurvy and Japanese shells
had reduced the defenders to 10.000
men. His nositie.n had become abso
lutely undefendable.
Mrs. John Alexander Dovie, wife
of the prophet, and Mrs. Gladstone
Dowie, have arrived 4n Havana.
An arbitration treaty between Spain
and the United States has been sign
ed by M. Ojeda, representing the for
mer country, and Secretary of State
John Hay for this country.
Bishop Hortsmann, of the Cleveland
dtocese of the Roman Catholic church,
has assigned Father Daniel Kirby to
the pnstorate of St. Patrick's church.
Leetonia, to succeed Father E. J.
Murphy.
Advices from Colombia report that
the projected revolution has been suc
cessful, and that Gens. Joaquin Kelez
and Gonzalez Valencia, who were at
the head of the movement, and others,
have been Imprisoned.
J.' Frank Hunt, a Mormon, of Ban
nock, was elected Speaker of the
House in the Idaho Legislature.
Wlllluin H. Swank, engineer; Robert
Turner, fireman, and Reuben Mecham.
a brakeman on a Lehigh Valley coal
train, were killed near Weatherly,
Pa by the derailment of the engina
and 28 loaded cars which It was haul
ing. Statistics given out in New .York
show that more than $230,0O0,0O'l
worth of properly was destroyed by
fire during 1904. Baltimore's loss was
the largest.
LIKES LOST BY EXPLOSION
Towboat on Ohio River Wrecked
and Sunk.
BURNED TO THE WATER'S EDGS
A Number of Sufferers Are Accounted
For While Remaining Crew
Is Missing.
The boilers of the towboat Defender
exploded at Huntington, W. Va., and
the wrecked vessel, together with sev
eral barges in her tow, burned and
sank in the Ohio river. Several men
lost their lives. Of the steamboat's
crew of 36 men, only 9 escaped injury.
Five men are seriously burned and
scalded, and it Is believed they will
die. Six other members of the crew
are missing, and it is believed their
lifeless bodies now lie at the bottom
of the river. Some of the bodies may
never be recovered. Among the
known dead are: Unknown man, from
CoraonoIIs, Pa.; Thomas Duffy, of
Pittsburg, fireman.
J Among the Injured are:
I The Injured: Robert Holland. Pitts
burg, firamnn, is horribly scalded.
Ho Is in the city hospital here. Jos
eph Moore, of Oakland, Pittsburg, a
cook on the steamer, seriously In
jured and is in hospital.
At 11 o'clock nt night the town peo
ple were startled by a terrific ex
plosion, followed almost Immediately
by a lurid glare which lighted up th'a
heavens for miles around. Investiga
tion showed that the towboat Defend
er and a number of the barges In
tow were in flames. The fire depart
ment was called to the scene, but
owing to the location of the boats it
could do little and the big towboat
was soon a mass of ruins.
The work of rescuing the killed and
Injured then began and it was soon
found that the loss of life had been
errat. The fire continued for two
hours and the woodwork of the boat
burned clear to Ihe water's edge.
The Defender was one of the big
gest towboats on the river. She had
be. n one of the first boats out of
Pittsburg on the recent rise and tow
ed a heavy line of coal barges to the
Cincinnati market.
The victims of the disaster were
burned to a crisn and manv can never
be idmtifted. The Defender soon af
ter the exolosion settled on the river
bed. a total loss.
Cant. James Woodward, of Charles
ton, W. Va.. was cantaln of th-?
steamer ami he wis blown Into the
river, but after struggling m the icy
waters was picked up by a rescuing
parfv and taken to the' Ohio shore
and Is now at the home of Dv. G?rloch.
The extent of his Injuries are un
known. To Form a New Ohio Coal Pool.
Within the next two weeks a new
coal pool will be formed by 16 minine
companies of Harrison, Belmont and
Jefferson counties, O. The pool will
represfnt an output -of about 6,000
tons of coal per day, and promises to
be one of the most powerful factors
in the coal fields of Eastern Ohio.
There probably will be a meeting at
Wheeling within a week.
TERMS OF SURRENDER.
Conditions Submitted to by Ru3sia at
Port Arthur.,
Text of articles of capitulation
made public by the Japanese:
Russian soldiers, marines and civil
officials become prisoners of war.
Officers of the Russian army and navy
retain swords and a limited quantity
of personal property, and, on signing
parole not to take up arms against,
Japan during continuance of war, may
return to Russia. Non-commlsstoned
officers and men remain prisoners.
The Russian sanitary corps must
engage under the Japanese corps for
r.n indeterminate period.
All munitions of war, vessels and
the like pass into the possession of
the Japanese.
Too Many Moves.
When she told the court that her
husband had compelled her to move
43 times in nine years, Margaret Den
man, of Bellefontaine, O., who was
heard In application for divorce from
her husbnnd, William Denman, was
Immediately granted her decree.
SQUADRON WILL WAIT.
F.ojestvlnsky Will Not Attempt to
Reach Vladivostok. j
It seems now to be definite that
Vice Admiral Rojestvcnsky's squad
ron will not attempt at present to !
reach Vladivostok. Th,e decision has
been reached that he will await the j
third Pacific squadron, on which work
is proceeding night and day, and sev-
era! ships of which are expected to 1
tie ready for service by the end of
January. It Is by no means certain
that Rojestvensky will return with
his ships to European waters. He
may await the third squadron off the
coast of Madagascar and sieze and
hake his base one of the uninhabited
coral islands of Polynesia.
In view of the report that the Jap
anese Intend to Invest Vladivostok,
Gen. Bativoff has expressed the opin
ion that if Vladivostok should be
blockaded Rojestvensky would be
compelled to return.
Andrew Carnegie has offered to
give $263,000 to rebuild Maryland In
stitute, destroyed by the Baltimore
fire last February. His contribution
equals the present total assets of the
school.
Successor to Cockrell.
Thomas K. Niedringhaus of St.
Louis, chairman of. the Republican
State central committee, was nomi
nated for United States senator to suc
ceed Senator Cockrell. The nomina
tion, which was made on the fifth bal
lot, insures the election of Mr. Nied
ringhaus. .
George Flsk and Mrs. Clara Klap
man were shot to death In New York
and the woman's husband Is under ar
rest, charged with the double murder.
TIME LIM4T ON MARRIAGE.
Ten Years the Perioi, According to
Kansas Legislator.
Senator Frederick Dutuont Smitl
has prepared a bill for introduction
In the Kansas Legislature to make
marriage a civil contract with a time
limit. Ho says he prepared the meas
ure at the request of a delegation of
women. In bis opinion the pass
age of the bill would do away with
the scandal of divorce.
"Husbands and wives would get
along like partners In a business
affair," said Senator Smith, 'and
each would have more respect for
the other," Senator Smith's bill is as
follows:
"All marriages celebrated In the
State of Kansas shall be deemed and
held to be civil contracts for ten
years, subject to all the laws of this
State now In force relating to divorce
and alimony. At any time within
three months before the expiration of
said contractoral irlods parties to
such marriage contract may, by filing
a joint declaration, renew said'mar-l-inge
contract for a further period of
ten years without, further ceremony.
In case the parties to a marriage con
tract shall fall or refuse to renew the
same all property accumulated by
such parties shall be divided equally
between them and the wife mny have
alimony out of her husband's estate
In the same manner and by the same
proceedings as are now provided by
law."
MANY SKATERS DROWNED.
Boy and Three Girls Break Through
t Frail Ice.
Frail Ice caused by an exhaust run
ning from a manufacturing plant In
to the Ohio canal, was responsible
for the drowning of four young skat
ers, one mile east of Barberton, O.
The dead are: Ada Williams, daugh
ter of Thomas Williams, of iAwns
dale; 17 years old. John Williams, a
brother, 12 years old; Katherlne
Morrison, 13 years old, daughter of
Edward .Morrison, of Kenmore, an Ak
ron suburb; Elizabeth Morrison, 10
years old, a sister.
The party started down the canal
toward Akron and were near the
manufacturing plant of Richard Tay
lor, when John Williams, who was
ahead of the other members of the
party, fell. He lay motionless and
the others, evidently thinking that the
boy had jnjured himself, rushed to
him. The combined weight of the
four caused the ice to give way and
they all went under together. The
bodies were recovered.-
At. Alliance, O., Clifford and Zap
Kelly, brothers. 13 and 24 years old,
rcsoectively, broke the Ice over the
Mahoning river while Bkating and
were drowned.
OFFICIAL CROP REPORT.
A Very General Improvement In Win
ter Wheat Is Noted.
The weather bureau's monthly crop
report Is as follows: The great, part
of the winter wheat belt was protect
ed hv snow covering most of the
month, but was exposed during the
cold period of December 27-29. The
unfavorable effects of drought noted
at the close of the previous months
are now less marked, a very general
improvement being Indicated, espec-1
ially In portions of the Ohio valley.
A decided Improvement in the con
dition of winter wheat Is generally
reported throughout the middle At
lantic states. In Central and North
ern California the condition of winter !
wheat is excellent. and while the
wheat regions of Oregon and Wash-1
lngton have suffered from lack of j
moisture, the outlook for wheat in
portions of these states Is encourag
ing. WASHINGTON NOTES.
Senator Clay Introduced a bill grant
ing 15 davs' annual leave of absence
to rural free delivery carriers.
Senator Piatt of New York pre
sented to the Senate a petition ask
Ine that provision be made for the
collection of statistics relating to mar
riages and divorces.
Secretary Metcalf sent to the House
a report as to the needs of the Im
migration service at the port, of San
Francisco nnd recommends the con
struction of a station on thp Govern
ment reservation at Anreln islands, at
nn estimated cost of $250,000.
Japanese Sunk the Ships.
A further batch of dispatches from
Gen. Stoessel, given out does not add
much to what is already known. He
reports the killing of Gen. Kronden
anko and other officers and the wound
ing of seven officers December 15 by
an 11-inch shell, which exploded in
the casemate of Fort No. 3. A dis
rrtch of December 11, from Gen.
Stoessel. settles the question of who
sank the Russian warships, saying j
that all those In the Inner harbor
were sunk by 11-inch Japanese shells
with the exception of the Sevastopol,
which was removed to the outer har
bor and for four nights repulsed Jap
anese torpedo "boat attacks.
Train Hits Nitro-Glycerin.
Panhandle passenger train No. 19
struck a nitro-glycerln wagon at sta
tion No. 15. four miles east of Uhrich
ville, O. The wagon was thrown over
an embankment and one horse was
killed. The driver. Harry Ferman.
was not injured. The wagon held 80
quarts of the explosive, but It was
not set oft by the accident. When the
collision occurred Ferman Jumped
and caught the Injured horse, which
was starting to run.
Three Men Killed.
Three men were Instantly killed by
westbound train No. 165 oh the Char
tiers road at Washington, Pa.: Fritz
Lltzenswab, of Ironton, O.; John
Coakley, an oil man of Washington;
Frank Friend, aged 35 years and mar
ried, of Washington. The men had
been drinking at a local brewery und
started to walk toward the center of
the town up the railroad track. At
Canton avenue they were run down
by the train and horribly mangled.
PORT ARTHUR HAS FALLEN
Russians Finally Surrender Fort
ress to the Jaaahess.
FURTHER RESISTANCE USELESS.
Siege and Defense of Port Arthur
Marked by Bravery, Gallantry
and Desperation.
Port Arthur, whose hills have for
months run red with the blood of the
bravest of warlike nations, has at last
succumbed to tha tierce tenacity of
the Japanese attack.
Gen. Stoessel, most stubborn In
carrying out the will of his sovereign
has Been the advance of the besieging
army gain In momentum and energy
until to hold out longer would be a
crime against humanity.
To what extent the fall of Port
Arthur will make for a restoration of
peace Is an open question. There is
an encouraging note In the expres
sion of Baron Hayashl, Japanese min
ister at London, of the "hope that in
some way It will facilitate final
peace" though the pacific note is per
haps lost In the later words of the
minister which call attention to the
fact that the besieging army will now
be free to go north where It will be an
offset to the reinforcements Gen.
Kuropatkin has been receiving from
Russia since the battle of Shakhe.
At 9 o'clock Sunday night Gen.
Nogl received from the Russian Gen
eral Stoessel a note saying that any
further resistance was useless and
asking for a meeting to arrange terms
of capitulation. The note was simple
and direct, and the Japanese general
Immediately named commissioners
to confer with representatives of the
Russian commander. They met at
noon Monday to arrange the conditions
of surrender.
At 9:45 o'clock Monday night the
commissioners' completed the sign
ing of the capitulation agreement.
Both armies had suspended five hours
earlier.
French military critics regard the
surrender of Port Arthur as render
ing Gen. Kuropatkln's position In
creasingly dangerous, as the besieg
ing army of 80,000 men is now releas
ed and will reinforce the Japanese
army In the North. It Is expected that
Vice Admiral Rojcst yen sky's squad
ron will proceed no further In the
direction of the seat of war. The
hope is expressed In some official
quarters that the surrender of the
fortress will hasten peace, but the pre
vailing view that the fall will accent
uate Russia's resistance.
A Che Foo dispatch to the "Temps"
says the officers of the Russian tor
pedo boat destroyers which have ar
rived there report that the entire town
of Port Arthur has been destroyed, in
cluding the hospital in the northwest
section.
THE FINAL ASSAULT.
Japanese Kept Up Continual Fight
for Five Days and Nights.
For rive days without ceasing the
final assault was maintained. Day
and night the Japanese artillery con
tinued to fire, and assault followed
assault in unending succession, nnd
the place was surrounded by an un
ceasing hall of fire. After repeated
breaches In the fortifications the
position became desperate. Great ex
plosions around the forts proclaimed
that the Russians were exploding
their magazines. Flames and
smoke In the harbor followed by ex
plosion after explosion, revealed the
destruction of the Russian ships.
They destroyed rather than surrender
them. They also apparently purpose
ly blew up two of their own forts.
The Sevastopol was blown up, and
other large Russian ships were de
stroyed as thoroughly as possible.
The Retvlznn, the Poltava and the
Pallada caught fire, nnd the other
ships were blown up Inside of and
near tho entrance of the harbor.
At 12:30 o'clock on January 2, the
Russians evacuated the East Klnwan
shan forts and the Japanese occupied
N and M hptghts to the south of the
fort. At 12:30 o'clock, noon. Monday,
Tunjekeewnnshap and M forts were
blown up by the Russians.
Then came the word that Gen.
Stoessel had offered to surrender, and
fighting ceased.
FEARFUL LOSS OF LIFE.
Only a Remnant of Stoesscl's Men
Left at Port Arthur.
With the surrender of Port Arthur
to' General Nogl military experts are
figuring on the losses sustulned by
the two contending armie,s In the
siege, and all agree that. In the mat
ter of carnage, it was one of the
bloodllest sieges in the history of the
world.
They estimate that between 66.000
and 100,000 lives were lost. When
the siege started General Stoessel had
an army of 45,000 men. At the sur
render it is said that he had at his
disposal only 8,0(10 men fit to fight,
while 15,000 were In hospital, sick or
wounded. This shows that 22,000 men
at least succumbed to dlseuse and to
the- bullets of the Japanese.
Experts declare that for every man
killed behind tho breastworks and In
the awful struggles that marked every
step of the Japanese 1 advance, at
least two, and probably three, men
were killed among the besiegers. This
would mean, at the minimum figure,
a Japanese loss of 64,000 men. But
all military men agree this figure ts
too low, and that the Japanese loss is
probably half as much again, making
a total of 96,000 men lost In action.
Boston Wool Market.
A firm tone characterized the wool
market, While there is a fair amount
of buying, considering tha small stock
of wool available. Ohio and Pennsyl
vania, XX and above, 33(?:iCc; X, 30
(Ti31c: No. 1, 38fi-39e; No. 2, 40
41c; fine unwashed, 2t$i25c; 14-blood,
unwashed, 2728c; unmerchantable,
2! fj H')c ; lino washed delaine, 3S39c:
Michigan, lino and unwashed, 21
22c; -blood, unwashed, 31 '(ff:i2c;
-blood, 3IH32c; ii-blood, 30&31c;
unwashed dolnlno, 2320c.
6TRIKE WILL GO ON.
Cotton Operators Vote to Continue
the Struggle.
The labor unions involved since last
July In a strike against a 12 per cent
reduction In wages In the cotton mills,
at Fall River, Mass., by a vote of
approximately three to one approved
a continuance of the contest. The to
tal vote of the unions was 1,401 for
continuing the strike and 420 oppos
ed. The manufacturers express disap
pointment. They said, however, there
Is no hope o restoration of the 12
per cent reduction, and they purposa
to continue attempts to run tha mills
under the same conditions as they
have for the last seven weeks.
DIAMOND PRICES B003TED.
De Beers Syndicate Adds Fiv Per
Cent, to Values.
By a stroke of a pen the value of
the world's visible supply of diamonds
was Increased by at least $50,000,000.
For the eighth time within four years
the selling syndicate of the De Beers
Mining Company, which controls 95
per cent of the diamond output of the
world, ordered an advance of 5 per
cent In the cost of rough stones, mak
ing a total of 45 per cent Increase
since 1901.
As the'vnluo of the diamonds al
ready cut is nt least $1,000,000,000, the
Increase In value, which many dealers
believe to be arbitrary, within a com
paratively short time Is at least $450,
000,000. Knox Chosen for Senate.
Philander C. Knox, of Pittsburg,
the appointee of Gov. S. W. Penny
packer as United States Senator from
Pennsylvania to succeed the late
Matthew S. Quay, was unanimously
nominated to succeed himself at a
joint caucus of the Republican mem
bers of the Senate and House. The
Republicans are in an overwhelming
majority In both bodies and Mr.
Knox's nomination Is equivalent to
an election.
CURRENT NEWS EVENTS.
The British steamer Drumelzler,
which went aground on the sand bar
off Oak Island during the storm last
Sunday, has broken in two amidships,
and it Is believed much of her valu
able cargo will bo a total loss.
George Shaffer, 19 years old, while
at. work In an ash pit at Derry, Pa.,
was struck by a locomotive and was
killed.
The clothing store of John Ross and
a building owned by Maggie Murphy,
adjoining, at Johnstown, Pa., were
destroyed by fire, the loss being about
$$,000, fully Insured.
Mrs. Charlotte Briller, 67 years old,
was found dead In the cellar of her
home, at Wheeling, W. Va. When
found she held a $5 bill In her hand.
The office building and yards of the
Wheeling and Lake Erie railroad at
Ma-sslllon, O., was destroyed by fire
the loss being estimated at $2,000.
James Martin, of Summit township,
Crawford county, Pa., was killed by
a splinter from a falling tree strik
ing him between the eyes.
By the wrecking of an engine in
the continuous mill of the National
rolling plant nt, McKeesport, one man
was killed and four others were In
jured. Fire destroyed a cage of an electric
crane nt the north works of the Car
negie Steel Company, at Sharon, Pa.,
The damage amounts to about $1,
000. President Roosevelt selected J.
Hampton Moore, a Philadelphia busi
ness man and president of the Nation
al League of Republican clubs, as
chief of the bureau of manufacturers
in the department of commerce and
labor.
Two Submarines Ordered.
Two Holland .submarine torpedo
boats have been contracted for by
Secretary of the Navy Paul Morton.
At least two more will be contracted
for within the next six months. The
general characteristics of tho new
boats are kept secret beyond the fact
that they cost $200,000 and $250,000
and are 81 and 105 feet In length
respectively. They will be construc
ted by the Fore River Shipbuilding
Company at Qulncy, Mass. When com
pleted the government will have 10
submarines.
STOESSEL'S PLEA.
Good Reasons Given for Surrendering
the Fortress.
Stoessel's last dispatch, dated
January 1, prior to the surrender of
Port Arthur, details the Japanese at
tack of December 31, and concludes
as follows:
"We shall be obliged to capitulate,
but everything is In the hands of
God.' Wo have suffered fearful losses.
Great sovereign, pardon us. We have
done everything humanly possible.
Judge us, but be merciful. Nearly 11
months of uninterrupted struggles
have exhausted us. Only one quarter
of tho garrison Is alive, and of this
number the majority are sick and be
ing obliged to act on the defensive
without even short Intervals for re
pose, are worn to shadows."
Family of Nine Persons Perish.
Fire consumed tho homo of Frank
Noweskl, a- Polish miner, in Morris
Run, Pa., at an - early hour and
tho entire family of 10, except the
oldest son, was either burned to death
or smothered. It. Is not known how
the fire originated, but it is thought
that a stove fell over and tho burn
ing coals set fire to the house.
Peace Proposals.
Among Russian officials here there
is a feeling that any proposals of
peace that may bo made must ba with
tho fact in view that In order that
peace must be lasting Japan must
recognize Russia's right to free tran
sit of Its ships through waters of the
Far East. High Japanese officials de
clare thnt there is no probability of
ad'.ances coming from their govern
ment locking towarj peace negotia
tions. 1
KEYSTONE STATE GULLING!
LEGISLATURE OPENS.
P. C. Knox Received Nomination foi
U. 8. Senator Governor's Mes
sage Outlined.
The organization of the Legislature
was without special incident. Tha
election of President Pro Tern. Sprout
of the Senate and Speaker Walton
of the House, the formal proceedings
nominating P. C. Knox for Senator
and the reading of Governor Penny
packer's message Included all that
was done prior to the day's adjourn
ment. The governor In his mes
sage recommends that Capitol Park
be extended and improved. Fee sys
tem abolished In the State Depart
ment. State Senatorial districts re
apportioned. State Highways Depart
ment more efficient. State constabu
lary to replace corporation police.
Cost of bridges to be borne by coun
ties. Corporation law revision com
mission. Legislation on registration
of voters. Dairy and food division
appropriation. Small coal tax for
good roads and schools. Suppression
as public nusiance of "yellow Jour
nals." Application has been made at Har
rlsburg for a charter for the Kenner
ly Coal and Coke company, a $1,000,
000 corporation, whose main office la
.to be at Johnstown, where at least
half the capital stock will be held.
The new company proposes the oper
ation of 3,500 acres of coal land at
Forwardstown and Thomas Mill, In
Somerset county. The promoters al
so propose a trolley line to Bens
Creek, there to connect with the
Johnstown Passenger Railway com
pany's system. A contemplated con
tinuation of this line would connect
Johnstown directly with Boswell. J.
Blair Kennerly, of Philadelphia, and
H. H. Light, of Lebanon, are among
the promoters.
Gov. S. W. Pennypacker fixed Feb
ruary 16 for the execution of Mrs.
Kate Edwards, the Berks county
murderess, and her negro accomplice,
Samuel Greason. The woman's hus
band, John Edwards, was murdered
nearly four years ago. The case has
been before the pardon board repeat
edly and was also before the Supreme
court. The Pennsylvania Legislature
passed a bill at the last session which
was Intended to apply to this case
which permitted the courts to review
newly discovered evidence on appli
cation for new trials in murder cases.
Every effort, however, to free either
the woman or her accomplice fail
ed. The constitutionality of the In
crease In the salaries of all the Judges
of the State, granted by the last
Legislature, was affirmed by Justice
Thompson, in an individual opinion
handed down In the Supreme court.
Justice Thompson, who retired from
the bench, was the only judge free
from Interest In the case, and he said
the other members of the court de
clined to consult or enter into any dis
cussion of the matter. The decis
ion will Involve an additional expendi
ture of $192,500 a year for the State,
and will affect 121 judges In Pennsyl
vania. The injunction Issued in the suit of
the Pennsylvania Railroad company
against the Pennsylvania and Mahon
ing Valley Electric Street Rail way-
company, to restrain the latter from en
tering New Castle with Its Internrban
cars over an overhead bridge built
by the Pennsylvania railroad, was
dissolved by Judge William D. Wall
ace. The cars are operating now
through the public square without in
terference undit a perpetual fran
chise recently granted.
W. W. Woods, of Transfer, while
carrying a loaded rifle, accidentally
shot himself In the left leg. A rope
was tied around the Injured leg by
companions, and Woods was placed
In a buggy and hurried to the Green
ville hospital. The bullet entered ona
side of the leg and went out the
other, severing several , large blood
vessels and fracturing the bones.
Woods recovered from the operation.
but may lose his leg.
In a fight over a woman in a re
sort at Shoupton, a suburb of Canons-
burg, William Hayden was shot and
fatally hurt by Henry Skinner. The
two, with three others, were playing
cards when Hayden spoke slighting
ly of a girl with whom Skinner was
enamored. The latter resented the re
mark and drawing a revolver shot
Hayden through the right breast.
Skinner fled, but was captured by tha
police.
A crusade has been started In Can-
onsburg and vicinity against the nu
merous alleged illegal liquor sellers.
Two women were arrested charged
with .selling liquor without a license
and sent to jail to await trial. It is
claimed that at Shupetown, a suburb
of Canonsburg, numerous speakeasies
exist, and as a result constant dis
order prevails.
At the coroner's inquest Into the
death of George Shrader, who was
killed while In the ash pit of the
Pennsylvania railroad at Derry.
Engineman E. G. Wolford, of Young-
wood, was censured for alleged negli
gence. John Bodusko, 35 years old, cm-
ployed at the Calumet plant of tha
H. C. Frlck Coke company, was kill
ed by a train on the Sewlckley branch
near Greensburg.
Alexander Shrader, of South Buffalo
township, has been appointed mercan
tile appraiser for 1905 by the Arm
strong county commissioners.
At Plans, a suburb of Wilkesbarre,
Robert Elliot plunged a knife into
the neck of John Clarke. The jugu
lar1 vein was severed and In one min
ute Clarke was dead. Elliot claims
he used the knife in self-defense.
Elliot surrendered to the officers and
was committed to jail..
An explosion of molten metal at
furnace "J" In the Edgar Thomson
steel works, Braddock, resulted in
the death of two men and the injury,
of several others. Ono man was kill
ed almost Instantly and another died
while being taken to Mercy hospital.
I