News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 3, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 44.

Domestic.—The war investigation commission is now at work at Camp Shipp, near Anniston, Alabama, seeking the cause of sickness at Camp Thomas, Chickamauga, whence the troops at Camp Shipp were recently removed......On October 24 the United States Supreme Court at Washington decided that the Joint Traffic Association, a combination formed by the large railroad systems of the country, was an illegal combination and in restraint of trade and commerce. This is regarded as a victory for the people over the trust system, as the decision was based on the Sherman Anti-trust Act......Twelve of the Chippewa Indians, arrested for resisting peace officers at Leech Lake, Minn., have been sentenced to imprisonment for terms varying from sixty days to ten months, and to pay fines of from $25 to $100......McDonough’s process of color photography has been adopted by the University of Chicago as part of a course of study......The effect of the recent cold weather in the South has been to reduce the number of cases of yellow fever and materially improve the situation in that respect......The United States transport steamer Rio de Janeiro arrived in San Francisco from Manila on October 22 with 150 sick and wounded soldiers on board. Seven deaths are reported on the voyage......About 2,000 coal miners along the Monongahela River struck on October 21 for the enforcement of the Chicago agreement......The acting United States Attorney-General has rendered a decision in the matter of Chinese immigration from the Hawaiian Islands to the United States, holding that such immigration is prohibited......Captain Andrews, who attempted to sail across the Atlantic Ocean in a thirteen-foot boat, was picked up in mid-ocean by the bark Friede, being entirely out of provisions......The Shoshone Indians in Nye County, Nevada, are threatening an uprising, and the governor has shipped arms and ammunition to the white settlers in that county for their protection. The Comanche, Kiowas, and Apache Indians, of Oklahoma, are also assuming a threatening attitude, and trouble is feared there......A severe blizzard visited the middle West on October 25, doing much damage to property in Chicago, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Southwestern Missouri. In many places the driving snow broke down the telegraph and telephone lines, completely cutting off communication for a time between the larger cities......A company has been formed to erect at Chicago a tower similar in construction to the Eiffel Tower of Paris, but exceeding it in height by 150 feet. Its total height will be 1,150 feet, and its cost will be $800,000......A scheme is on foot for the consolidation of all the fire-brick manufactories in the United States, with a capitalization of $12,000,000......A fire occurred at Brooklyn, N. Y., on October 24, destroying property to the amount of $500,000......The Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who has been investigating the causes for the recent outbreak among the Chippewas in Minnesota, has reported to the government that the cause of the trouble lies wholly in the unscrupulous methods employed by certain whites in their dealings with the Indians......The cruiser Buffalo has been booked to sail for Manila by way of the Suez Canal, with between 700 and 800 recruits for the American squadron there......A heavy storm struck the Great Lakes on October 26, doing much damage to shipping.

International.—A party of Kurds recently fired upon and seriously wounded the well-known archaeologist, Professor Belck, while conducting his exploration in the Sipandagh district......Two more battles have been fought in Formosa between the Japanese troops and the native savages. The Formosan rebels are being supplied with arms and ammunition by the Chinese, and are waging such a vigorous war that many non-combatants are leaving the island......About 20,000 warriors of the Magato tribe, in South Africa, attacked an outpost of the Transvaal Government, on October 20, and severe fighting ensued. On the following day a force of 8,000 Boers defeated the blacks, killing many of their number......The Japanese branch of the Red Cross Society has induced the Japanese Government to replace the red copper tips of the rifle bullets in use in the army by white copper, as the red copper inflicts inhuman and poisonous wounds......It is estimated that about two-thirds of the wheat crop of Manitoba will be lost this season on account of the unfavorable weather......The evacuation of the island of Crete by the Turkish forces is now nearly complete, and the number of foreign troops in the island will be increased to 14,000 men, pending the complete pacification of the island......France has delivered an ultimatum to China stating that she will take forcible action at once unless China guarantees the lives of French missionaries, some of whom have been massacred recently by Chinese mobs......Additional arrests are being made of Anarchists who are suspected of having designs on the lives of Emperor William and wife, who are now in Palestine......Both the United States and Canada have appointed appraisers to determine the valuation of the Canadian sealing fleet, in view of the possibility of its purchase by the United States Government. This action is the outgrowth of the recent meetings of the United States and Canadian commissioners......There have been reports during the week of a deadlock in the peace negotiations between the American and Spanish commissioners at Paris, and various versions are printed of the progress of the negotiations. The commissioners, however, continue to meet and discuss the propositions of the two governments, and maintain unyielding secrecy as to the work accomplished......Within the week England and France have seemed to be on the verge of declaring hostilities, and both countries have continued their work of preparation for such an eventuality. Conservative French journals, however, are advising France to evacuate Fashoda, lest she meet at the hands of England what Spain met at the hands of America. The Britons are firmly determined to brook no interference in the Nile Valley, even at the cost of war......A report from Paris dated October 26 states that France has decided to withdraw Major Marchand from Fashoda, and will ask the Egyptian Government to furnish an escort for his party. It is reported that the pope has urged France to take this step, and that she was also counseled to do so by the Rothschilds, whose influence is paramount in the finances of nearly all Europe......Two Americans have been arrested in Peru for distributing tracts teaching doctrines contrary to the State religion.

Cuba.—About 15,000 Spanish soldiers have made application for discharge from the army in order that they may remain in Cuba after the evacuation......Proclamations are being issued by members of the Cuban army demanding “Cuba for the Cubans,” and urging all Cubans to resist the landing of American troops by force......The government at Washington has granted to the Spanish until the 1st of January to complete the evacuation of the island. In the meantime American troops will occupy the territory as fast as the Spanish retire. The Spanish have been forbidden to remove the heavy guns from the Havana fortifications......The first session of the Cuban Assembly was held at Santa Cruz del Sur, on October 24, and a commission is to be appointed to visit President McKinley and ascertain the status of Cuba and the Cubans......The work of relief in Santiago province is still going forward. The natives are putting in their crops, but will need more or less relief until they are harvested. The women and children are reported to be in dire need of clothing, and the United States Government will be asked to furnish supplies of this kind.

The Philippines.—The natives are very indignant over the seizure of their vessels by Admiral Dewey, and are said to be assuming a threatening attitude. The supplies of the rebels are growing scarce, and they are growing desperate. A report from the Southern islands states that a condition of anarchy prevails there, both the Spanish and rebels engaging in cruel practises......The troop-ship Senator sailed from San Francisco for Manila on October 17, carrying 772 men. The Valencia followed on October 19, with 520 men......A report from Manila by way of Madrid states that there has been an engagement between a portion of Admiral Dewey’s fleet and the vessels of the insurgents, in which the latter were captured by the Americans.

Porto Rico.—The last detachments of the Spanish troops sailed from San Juan on October 24, completing the evacuation of the island. On the previous day the insular cabinet took the oath of allegiance to the United States. It is the intention of the United States Government to establish a naval station at San Juan, making it one of the most strongly fortified in the country.

Brother L. I. Sage, of Ventura, California, has opened a music house at that place, and has agreed to furnish pianos or organs to all readers of THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES, from Seattle, Washington, to San Diego, California, at a much lower price than outside dealers will furnish them, handling all grades of pianos and organs, and selling for cash or on easy terms.

Those desiring an instrument should correspond with him at once.