Christmas, Fires, Disasters, and Political News Briefs
By A. J. B.
— Wednesday, December 25, was celebrated as Christmas day throughout the country.
— A fire destroyed the Champion paper works, Hamilton, Ohio, the 23d inst. Loss, $750,000.
— The schooner “Eliza H. Parkhurst” is lost off the New England coast, with its crew of eight men.
— The steamer “Sun” is destroyed by fire at Memphis, Tenn., four persons being burned to death.
— The first Niagara River gorge ice bridge of the year formed below the falls the afternoon of the 22d inst.
— Judge Tuley is said to have told Dowie that he must pay Samuel Stevenson, his brother-in-law, $187,000.
— Trenton, N. J., celebrated, on the 26th inst., the one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of the battle of Trenton.
— The Bolivian Congress adjourned the 25th inst., “without providing for a settlement of the boundary dispute with Peru.”
— On the 25th inst. a protocol was signed by representatives of Chile and Argentina, agreeing to let England arbitrate their differences.
— A Boer force under General De Wet captures “four companies of British yeomanry, with two guns, on Christmas eve, at Tweefontein.”
— The Secretary of the Navy approves of the majority report of the court of inquiry in the Schley case, in spite of Admiral Dewey’s opinion rendered.
— A Childersburg, Ala., race war the 26th inst. resulted in the death of two persons and the wounding of two others. Cause, a quarrel over a game of craps.
— Marconi leaves Newfoundland for Ottawa, whence he will soon go to England. He will probably select Cape Breton for a permanent wireless telegraphy station.
— Turkey notifies naturalized Americans at Beyrouth, Syria, that they must renounce their naturalization in fifteen days, or be expelled from the country. The United States will oppose this action.
— The Salvation Army of New York City fed “a host of people” at the Madison Square Garden, Christmas day, 3,400 baskets of food being distributed. Each basket contained food enough for a family of five.
— There was announced on the 22d inst. the discovery by Dr. F. G. Novy and Prof. P. C. Freer, of the University of Michigan, “an absolute antiseptic for all intestinal diseases, such as dysentery, typhoid fever, and cholera.”
— On the 23d inst. Lord Kitchener reported “five different engagements, in four of which the British loss in killed and wounded was upward of one hundred.” It seems that De Wet and Botha, the Boer generals, are “forcing the fighting.”
— E. S. Maclay, employee of the Brooklyn navy yard, and author of the history throwing discredit upon Admiral Schley, was summarily discharged from the government service the 26th inst., by order of the President of the United States.
— A $2,500 prize is offered for the best symbol design for the coming Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The symbol will be used in the seal, on the stationery, and other official documents. Six months are allowed to the competitors. “The only stipulation concerning the design is that it shall be symbolical of the great historical event which the exposition commemorates.” Foreigners may compete.
Leading Events Dec. 22 – 28.856
— A British punitive expedition razes a fort in Baluchistan.
— The Newfoundland coast was swept by gales the 27th inst., causing great damage to shipping.
— A Santiago de Chile dispatch of the 27th inst. reports rumors that “a revolution has broken out at Buenos Ayres.”
— Admiral Schley and General Miles plan to take steps towards vindication for their recent censure by the Secretary of the Navy.
— A Sofia dispatch of the 27th inst. states that the Bulgarian Cabinet has resigned, and that the new cabinet will include two members of the Stambuloff party.
— England is rushing the work of printing a new issue of postage stamps to bear the portrait of Edward VII. The plan is to have them ready by Jan. 1, 1902.
— A Rio de Janeiro dispatch of the 27th inst. states that the Brazilian Senate “has approved an agreement regarding the boundary between British Guiana and Brazil.”
— Samson, the Filipino general, and all of the insurgent leaders on the Island of Bohol, surrender to the United States forces, giving up forty-five guns and twenty-eight cannon.
— United States Senator Chauncey M. Depew and Miss May Palmer were civilly united in marriage at Nice, France, the 27th inst. The bride being a Catholic, Catholic and Episcopal services were also held the next day.
— The United States battle-ship “Missouri” was launched at Newport News, Va., the 28th inst. Its contract price was $2,885,000, its keel having been laid Feb. 7, 1900. Fifty-one per cent of the construction is completed.
— A dispatch from Colon, Colombia, dated the 27th inst., reports that on the 9th inst. the government garrison at Honda, consisting of but 430 men, successfully repulsed a body of 1,200 revolutionists. Number of men killed, 400.
— A Salonica dispatch of the 27th inst. states that W. W. Peet, treasurer of the Missionary Society in Constantinople, “has established communication with the brigands who hold Miss Ellen M. Stone captive,” and hopes to bring about her release within two weeks.
— German war-ships are gathering near Venezuela, the “Vineta” having anchored off La Guayra the 27th inst. The United States is deeply interested in Germany’s movements there just now. The Monroe Doctrine is what adds importance to these movements.
— According to an Amsterdam dispatch of the 27th inst., Mr. Kruger will send C. M. Wessels to the United States in January, 1902, with a letter to President Roosevelt. Mr. Wessels is the former chairman of the Orange Free State Raad, or Legislative Assembly.
— A dispatch from London dated the 27th inst. reports “the ambuscading near Beginberyn on December 21, of 200 mounted infantry, by 300 Boers and forty armed natives, led by Commandant Britz.” The British loss was ten men killed and fifteen wounded. Boer losses not known.
— A Washington dispatch of the 27th inst. states that General Chaffee had sent a cablegram from Manila “giving an account of the engagement near Dapado, Samar, in which Company E, Ninth Infantry lost seven men killed and a number wounded.” The Americans were ambushed, but defeated the Filipinos.
— A London dispatch of the 27th inst. states that General Bruce Hamilton “has captured the laager of Commandant Pretorius, killing one and capturing fifteen Boers,” and that Colonel De Moulin “has captured Field Cornet Jacobus Dutoit and twenty-eight men.” These actions took place in Orange River Colony.
— A dispatch from London, dated the 28th inst., states that Great Britain’s iron trade “seems to be on the down grade.” The production of pig iron for 1901 is estimated to be “about 2,800,000 tons, as compared with 3,109,000 tons in 1900, and 3,251,000 tons in 1899.” There is also a big falling off in England’s steel production.
— On the afternoon of the 26th inst. “a large, orderly demonstration took place at Christiansted, Island of St. Croix, Danish West Indies,” comprising representatives of the native, official, and planting elements, the purpose being to urge Denmark to introduce reforms in the islands, but that the latter be not sold. The procession was headed by bands of music, carried nine hundred flags, and cheered for the king.
— A dispatch of the 25th inst., from Mexico City, reports a $1,000,000 fire in progress at Progreso, Yucatan.
— The American Express Company gives each of its employees $10 as a Christmas present. Last year the sum given was only $5.
— Six were killed and ten injured the 23d inst. in an accident on the Coopersburg branch of the Lehigh Valley Traction Company, near Allegheny, Pa.
— A dispatch from Christiania, dated the 27th inst., states that “the violence of the snow-storms which have prevailed during the last week is almost unprecedented. A number of railway trains are stalled in the snow in the southern districts of Norway, and most of the telegraph wires are down.”
— A Washington, D. C., dispatch of the 25th inst. states that Governor Leslie M. Shaw, of Iowa, “has formally accepted the offer made to him to become Secretary of the Treasury, and the fact was officially announced to-night at the White House.” Secretary Gage will leave Washington some time before Feb. 1, 1902. The next man to retire from the Cabinet will doubtless be Mr. Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture. Owing to the “burden of social duties,” he, as well as other Cabinet members, “is forced to spend every year a good deal more than his salary.” Secretary Wilson has done much for the Department of Agriculture. A. J. B.
