p. 22 | Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Nov 5, 1903

Current Mention

— The first wireless telegraph station on the coast of China was opened October 17, in the presence of the diplomatic and military corps and representatives of the Board of War and the Board of Foreign Affairs. Congratulatory messages were exchanged with the Italian flagship “Vettor Pisani,” which was lying off Taku.

— According to figures given by The Independent, it appears that the republic of Colombia, which has sprung into international prominence on account of the Panama Canal project, has a larger proportion of lepers in its population than any other country in the world. The prevalence of this terrible disease is ascribed by some of the doctors to the eating of badly cured fish, especially on last days.

— The grand jury at Portland, Ore., has returned indictments against Miss Marie L. Ware, former United States commissioner at Eugene, Ore.; Horace G. McKinley, and S. A. D. Puter, timber land operators, charging them with conspiracy to defraud the government of public lands. These three have already been indicted for forgery in connection with the land frauds.

— The second boat of the wrecked French bark “Connetable de Richemont” was picked up October 26 near Honolulu. The boat contained a boatswain and seven of the crew. All were alive, but they were nearly starved, as they had had nothing to eat for twelve days. This is one of the longest voyages in an open boat without food ever made in the Pacific Ocean.

— The greatest clock in the world, the dial of which will be 120 feet in diameter, is being built in Milwaukee for use at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition next year. The minute hand will be sixty feet long, and the dial is to be a brilliant bed of flowers on a hillside, with numerals fifteen feet long, composed of brightly colored foliage plants, to mark the hours. At night the timepiece will be illuminated with 2,000 incandescent lights.

— President Gompers, of the American Federation of Labor, declares that organized labor will resist any reduction in wages which may be attempted in case of industrial depression. President O’Connell, of the International Association of Machinists, however, has sent out a secret circular to business agents, advising that all differences be settled by arbitration, because he fears a reduction in wages may be the outcome of the present business uncertainty which industrial disturbances have brought about.

— Mrs. Emma Booth-Tucker, consul in America of the Salvation Army, wife of Commander Booth-Tucker, and second daughter of William Booth, founder of the army, was killed in the wreck of the eastbound California train No. 2 near Dean Lake, Mo., eighty-five miles east of Kansas City, October 29. Col. Thomas C. Holland, in charge of the Salvation Army at Amity, Colo., was fatally injured. Fifteen others were more or less seriously hurt. Mrs. Booth-Tucker was said to be the ablest of all the Booth children.

— Since the discovery of gold in the Klondike, a total of $73,364,790 in gold dust and gold bullion has been taken out by the miners, or about $14,000,000 a year.

— An attempt to assassinate President Diaz, of Mexico, was made at Juanaguato, October 27. Five shots were fired at the president, but he escaped without injury.

— The report that a new cardinal would be created for the United States is denied at Rome. Canada has been without representation in the college of cardinals since 1888.

— City officials in Milwaukee have begun a crusade against the use of the parlor match. The fire chief of that city claims that on an average one fire each week is caused by parlor matches.

— The official acts of Pope Pius X since the beginning of his pontificate indicate that his policy will be one of conciliation, and the cultivation of friendly relations between the papacy and all secular powers.

— American naval authorities recommend that the United States navy be strengthened by the construction yearly of four battle-ships, two cruisers, four torpedo boat destroyers, and four scout ships.

— Report of a railway wreck in Russia, due to the blowing up of a car filled with explosives, was received from St. Petersburg, October 28. Four cars which were filled with passengers were wrecked, and a large number of people were killed or injured.

— Professor Millikan, of Chicago University, announces that according to a mathematical calculation made by him, 30,000 years is the maximum time required for a particle of the newly discovered metal “radium” to become dissipated by the loss of matter which it is constantly throwing off.

— The leader of the Armenian revolutionary society was assassinated in London, October 26. This act followed an attempted assassination in Boston, Mass., another in Switzerland, two successful attempts in Russia, and one in Cairo, Egypt. All these are believed to be the outcome of one conspiracy.

— Mississippi River States will ask Congress to take action for the construction and maintenance of levees on both sides of the great river adequate to prevent the inundations, with consequent destruction of property, which are now of yearly occurrence in that section of the country. An association to push this demand has been formed in New Orleans, and enrolls in its membership governors of States, senators, high railroad officials, and other men of prominence in commercial affairs.

— Premier Combes, of France, is still carrying forward his program of opposition to religious instruction by the Catholic orders in the state schools, and in a recent public speech he outlined a program of reforms which he purposes to establish, among which is the abrogation of the Concordat, or agreement between France and the papacy, which has been in force for a century. The provisions of the Concordat have not for years been strictly enforced, but many people in France are frightened at the thought of its abrogation.

— Prosperity marks the agricultural situation in the great Canadian northwest. The estimated value of this year’s cereal crop in that territory is $55,000,000.

— In 1901, 432 persons were killed by vehicles and street railway cars in the streets of New York City. In 1902 the number of such deaths had increased to 538; and the estimated number for 1903 is nearly 1,000.

— The accident hazard from automobiles is becoming very great. Trade journals published in Europe are responsible for the statement that there were 8 persons killed and 224 injured on railroad passenger trains in England during the year, while during the same period 411 were killed and 2,991 persons were injured by automobiles.

— The Department of Agriculture has directed that a consignment of cherry fruit color from Posen, Prussia, purporting to be entirely vegetable in character, be denied admission at the port of San Francisco. It was found on analysis that the stuff was not vegetable at all, but entirely coal-tar dye. This is pronounced the worst violation of the new law prohibiting adulterated food products that has yet occurred.