NEWS AND NOTES

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 10, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 36.

FOREIGN.

—A Cairo, Egypt, despatch of the 2d inst. announces another outbreak of cholera. Of sixty-one cases, fifty-four proved fatal within three days.

—The Chilean Congress has elected Federico Errázuriz president of the republic by a vote of 62 to 60. This close vote is the cause of much excitement.

—King Humbert has authorized the reëstablishment of an Italian squadron in South American waters. The report states that the fleet will consist of three cruisers and one despatch boat.

—Prince Lobanoff-Rostovski, prime minister of Russia, died suddenly of heart disease while traveling in company with the czar from Vienna to Kieff. They were on a tour of Western Europe.

—An Athens despatch of the 4th inst. says that fighting has occurred in the Ekaterine district of Macedonia. The Turks lost forty-four killed, and the insurgent loss is said to be much heavier.

—The entire Japanese ministry has resigned, on account of a difference of opinion regarding the appointment of a representative at some foreign post. Count Kuroda has been appointed acting premier to succeed Count Ito.

—A New York Herald correspondent reports that the Cuban insurgents captured a Spanish convoy on the 23d ult., killing, wounding, or capturing the entire force of 300 men who were escorting the convoy. The commander and staff were disarmed and released.

—It is reported among the delegates to the Trades Union Congress, now in session at Edinburgh, Scotland, that a gigantic strike of dock laborers of the world is being planned, and that the most extensive labor movement yet conceived may be commenced this fall.

—It is reported that Captain-General Weyler has decided to prohibit the gathering of the sugar crop as a measure to cut off a source of subsistence from the Cuban insurgents. If both parties to this cruel war pursue the work of devastation, great destitution must certainly follow.

—Reports by way of Stornoway, Scotland, state that a severe earthquake occurred in Iceland, August 26. Two churches were destroyed, a number of cattle killed, and several farms seriously damaged. The center of the disturbance was in the vicinity of Mount Hecla, the noted volcano.

—A writer who claims personal acquaintance with the territory in dispute between Great Britain and Venezuela, says much of it is very rich in gold, and predicts a boom within a short time. Being an Englishman, he appeals to the home government not to yield possession of the disputed region.

—The foreign ambassadors at Constantinople have sent a joint note to government demanding a strict inquiry into the causes of the recent massacres in that city. The note quotes the declaration of two Musselmans, that they were provided with weapons by the police, and sent to kill Armenians.

—It is reported that the Russian Government proposes to establish a popular school system in Siberia. This, with the proposed cessation of the political exile system and the Trans-Siberian Railroad completed, will add much to the prospects of that extensive region. The present population is more than six million, and the productive capacity of the soil and mines beyond computation.

—The U. S. cruiser Cincinnati has been ordered to Constantinople for the double purpose, it is said, of making an imposing display of force, if President Cleveland should deem it necessary, and to relieve the Marblehead when Turkish affairs resume their normal condition. It is also expected that the Minneapolis will be ordered to join the San Francisco, Marblehead, and Cincinnati outside the Dardanelles.

—Sad stories come from Labrador of the destitution of the Indians in that region. The coasts frequented by them are almost depleted of game and fur-bearing animals, and the taking of beaver has been prohibited until 1900, in order to prevent a total destruction. Wild fowl eggs, which used to be a source of supply to the Indians, are now nearly all gathered by fishermen and other sailors from Newfoundland, and shipped to market.

—A former Californian, named Tibbits, who recently arrived from the scene of the Matabele insurrection in Africa, says: “The revolt is to be attributed to the unreasoning prejudice against whites, engendered in the natives by their ‘endunas,’ or witchcraft doctors, who went from kraal to kraal and preached animosity. At every convention of natives these ‘endunas’ were to be found telling them they should rise against the whites and drive them from the country.”

—Bishop Ingham, of the British colony of Sierra Leone, who is about to resign, anticipates disestablishment in that colony. The secretary of state for the colonies announces that he will not advise Her Majesty to appoint a successor to Bishop Ingham unless there is a strong opinion in the colony favorable to the appointment.

—A London paper criticizes American preachers in that city for their habit of introducing the names of Americans who are but slightly known in England. It reminds them that “many people may be well known in America who have no fame worthy of note abroad.” If all preachers would confine themselves to that which pertains to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they would not be subject to such criticism, which is no doubt a just one.

—The Mexican Government is seeking the extradition from the United States of the female “healer” Santa Teresa, her father, and the editor of a Mexican paper published in El Paso, Texas. They are charged with inciting an assault by the Yaqui Indians on the Mexican custom-house at Nogales, A. T., August 12, which resulted in the death of six Indians and three Mexicans. The Mexicans and Indians are passionately devoted to the young woman “healer.”

DOMESTIC.

—Natural gas and petroleum deposits have been discovered in Livermore Valley, Cal.

—Dr. C. A. Smith, of San Francisco, has taken out a patent for a flying machine, and a company has been formed for its construction.

—The California State Fair, at Sacramento, is said to be the finest exhibition yet inaugurated by the association, and to be unusually well attended.

—Fire at Norfolk, Va., on the 2d inst., destroyed a large plow factory and twenty-five other houses. The loss is estimated at $200,000. Many families are left homeless.

—A Los Angeles despatch of the 3d inst. brings the news that a cloudburst in Piru Cañon, Ventura County, caught three persons in its flood, and they were torn to pieces by the rocks and timber.

—A new phase of woman’s rights comes to the front in her assuming the role of circus clown. A great show now exhibiting in San Francisco boasts of three female clowns and a ringmistress.

—Two men, one aged 70 and the other 55, engaged in a fight with knives for the possession of a bottle of whisky, in Fresno County, Cal., last week, and the elder of the two was fatally wounded.

—The U. S. revenue cutter Perry has arrested two British sealing vessels and one American for pursuing their vocation inside of the prohibited area. This makes five arrests the present season.

—At the time of the recent rains in California there was also an extensive downpour in Arizona. Washouts occurred along the line of the Santa Fe Railroad for a distance of 100 miles, causing a delay of four days in the arrival of trains at Los Angeles.

—The Indiana Bicycle Works, at Indianapolis, have been shut down till after the election, and, as a consequence, 1,500 employees are out of employment. The president of the company gives as a reason that they can not risk further investment until the financial question is settled.

—Prohibition has wellnigh gained a complete victory in Georgia; that is, as far as human law can complete anything in the way of reform. Morgan County has just been carried by over five hundred majority, and now it is said that ninety-nine hundredths of the state is covered by prohibitory statutes.

—The gold Democrats have nominated Senator John M. Palmer, of Illinois, for President, and Hon. Simon B. Buckner, of Kentucky, for Vice President. During the civil war the former was a Union commander, and the latter was a commander of Confederate forces. They are aged, respectively, 79 and 75 years.

—A meeting of representatives of all the various railroad brotherhoods was held in Indianapolis August 30, to consider the matter of a general federation. The result was the adoption of a resolution favoring such a move. The death of the Railway Union did not quench the spirit of confederacy, which now pervades all classes of society as well as railroad employees.

—A Portland, Ore., despatch of August 31, reports an eruption on Mount Hood. A party of twenty persons had ascended to the summit, and were on the way down, when their attention was attracted by a roaring noise. Just over them was a cloud of smoke and steam, and the air was filled with flying stones and ashes. Then came an avalanche of bowlders right towards the party. However, the party all escaped injury excepting one young lady who was struck and thrown into a crevasse. She was subsequently recovered in an unconscious condition. She was considerably bruised, but was resuscitated, carried down the mountain, and when a physician was summoned she was pronounced not fatally injured. The eruption lasted but a few minutes.

—The powder works at Pinole, Contra Costa County, Cal., were almost entirely destroyed by an explosion on the 1st inst. Four white men and eight Chinese were killed, and several others were more or less injured. Fifteen months ago an explosion occurred at the same institution, which caused a loss of fourteen lives. The present disaster throws 130 men out of employment.

—China has become a competitor of the Pennsylvania and Welsh coal mines in the Pacific Coast trade of America. The Chinese coal comes from Tonquin, is practically unlimited in quantity, and is said to be fully equal in quality to the best in the market. The Tonquin anthracite can be sold in San Francisco a dollar or more per ton less than is now asked for Pennsylvania or Welsh coal of the same grade.

—A Denver, Colo., despatch tells of a family—husband, wife, and child—which arrived there on the 29th ult., having walked from Ogden, 800 miles. They had started from Sacramento, Cal., and before arriving at Ogden were robbed of their tickets and money. As the railroad men would not believe their story, they could not continue their journey by rail. They suffered terribly from exposure and lack of food, having been fifty-eight days on the way.

—Leadville, Colo., is in danger of being starved out in consequence of the prolonged strike of miners. Mine owners have decided to let the mining operations cease altogether rather than to yield to the demands of the Miners’ Union. As a result of the stoppage of pumps, the mines are being filled with water, which, in case of a desire to resume work, will retard actual work for several months. As 10,000 men and their families are dependent upon the mines for support, the business interests of the town are at a standstill, and the utter financial ruin of the place is said to be imminent.

—Li Hung Chang, the noted Chinese viceroy, who recently arrived in New York, takes much interest in our great industrial concerns, such as manufactories, railroads, etc. He says that the railroad men in Europe told him that they never had any railroad accidents, that such accidents all happened in America. When the Grant Monument is completed next year, a tree is to be planted in the name of the viceroy as a token of his regard for the great general. On entering New York Harbor, he asked to be shown President Cleveland’s metropolitan residence. He was under the impression that of course the head of a great nation must have a number of palatial residences, in different localities.

—An attempt to hold up a train about six miles from Sacramento, on the night of the 5th inst., was foiled by the coolness of the engineer. One man sat on the tender, covering the engineer with a revolver, while another conducted the fireman back to make him uncouple the train. The engineer kept his eye on the man who was guarding him, and, as the latter looked away to see what was delaying the operations, he quietly picked up his own pistol, which was lying near. He held it close to his side, and as his guard looked away a second time, he fired, and the highwayman fell dead. The engineer then opened the throttle and sped away. The other robber jumped from the train, which did not stop until it reached the Sacramento depot.