Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1897 — BIG ELEVATOR BURNS [ARTICLE]

BIG ELEVATOR BURNS

PURCELL MALTING COMPANY LOSES A $350,000 PLANT. Firemen Handicapped in Their Work by a Scarcity of Water in the Vicin-ity-Blaze Starts in Empty Freight Cara and Spreads Rapidly. Rnined by Flame, Elevator A, containing 230,000 bushels of malt and 100,000 bushels of barley, and the big malt house, containing 20.000 bushels of malt in process, of the Purcell Malting Company, at 123 d street and the Belt Line tracks, Chicago, were destroyed by fire, entailing a loss of $350,000. The fire originated in a string of empty Chicago and Eastern Illinois railway freight cars w'hich had been left standing under the loading shed on the east side of the elevator. It is supposed that tramps started fires in the cars for the purpose of getting warm, and that the fire caught the woodwork of the cars and was in turn communicated to the elevator. The three watchmen on duty, headed by Foreman Scott of the malting department, who sleeps in the malthouse, attempted to check the flames, but were powerless. They turned in an alarm and the entire department of Kensington responded, but the firemen were handicapped owing to a scant supply of water, there being but one fire plug available. A 150,000-bushel capacity addition to the elevator had been but recently completed at a cost of $50,000. The loss is fully covered by insurance in at least sixty different insurance companies represented in Chicago. The plant will be immediately rebuilt. GERMANS ARE FOR PROTECTION. Determined to Keep Foreigners Out of Home Markets. It is money thrown away for our business men seeking foreign markets to load up the United States consuls with pamphlets and circulars and price lists. So says United States Consul Bartholomew, at Mayence, Germany, in a report to the State Department, in the course of which he offers some advice to would-be exporters as to the best means of getting their goods into the German markets. He says, however, that whether or not Germany will permit them to hold their trade, once it is obtained, is a serious and vital question. That the Germans will throw all kinds of obstacles in the way there is not the slightest question. They will commence by raising the tariff, and if that does not suffice they will adopt other methods. Says the consul: “The Germans are for Germany, and Germany is for Germans. Protection for home products is their watchword. They are perfectly willing to spread out in every country in the world with their products, but they want none here but their own. They want our dollar—silver or gold—but they do not want us to have any of theirs.” SHERMAN WILL ACCEPT. Puts at Rest All Btories of Hlb Rumored Declination. Washington dispatch: Senator Sherman has once for all set at rest the gossip predicated on his alleged intention of withdrawing his acceptance of the portfolio of Secretary of State. In an interview drawn out by the wholesale publication of baseless sensational reports from all ports of Ohio, representing that State to be riven with factional Republican quarrels, the Senator uses this language, which would seem to leave no point unsettled: “My acceptance of the portfolio of Secretary of State was without any reservation or conditions. Gov. Bushnell has about six weeks yet before it will be necessary to appoint my successor in the Senate. There seems to be a general desire that Mr. Hanna should be selected for the seat, and, while I have no assurance on that point, I believe that Gov. Bushnell will appoint him.” Senator Sherman’s belief that Mr. Hanna will come to the Senate as his successor is shared by nearly all the Republican leaders in Washington who are familiar with political conditions in the Buckeye State. MACHINE THAT MILKS COWS. lowa’s Dairy King Buys Two of Them and Will Move to Texas. Hiram C. Wheeler, who was Republican nominee for Governor of lowa in 1891 and defeated by Horace Boies, has sold his farm of over 4,000 acres in Sac County and will move to Texas. He has purchased more than 7,000 acres of land fifty miles northeast of Galveston, and proposes to establish the largest dairy in the world. He has purchased two of the famous Cushman milking machines, capable of milking 200 cows each, at one time, similar to the one successfully used on his lowa farm for over a year, and announces that he will deliver milk to Galveston people as promptly as if the dairy was located only a mile from the city. Mr. Wheeler has shipped a car of machinery to the new farm, and expects to take personal charge of affairs at once.

Quaker City Blazr. The most disastrous conflagration that has visited Philadelphia in recent years broke out shortly before 7 o’clock Tuesday morning in the back part of the basement of the big grocery store of Hanseom Bros., 1317 Market street, and before the flames were under control property amounting in value to $2,500,000 or more had been destroyed. McCnllairh’s Successor. Capt. Henry King, chief editorial writer of the paper, has been appointed to succeed the late Joseph B. McCullagh as editor of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. No change will be made in the policy or style - of the paper. Let Her Father Die. Knowing that her aged father had taken poison with suicidal intent, Nellie Curran, of Oakland, Cal., went to bed without calling a physician, and arose in the morning at the usual hour to find the old man cold in death. Death of Another Victim. Another death is to be added to the list of those who went down Saturday afternoon with the Pittsburg and Western train which jumped the trestle at Paint Creek. Mrs. McKinley Won't Stand. Mrs. McKinley, in receiving at White House social affairs, will use a handsome high chair, so constructed as to give the Impression at first sight that she is standing up. Mrs. McKinley’s health will not permit of her standing in line at any of the state receptions at the White House. Shipload of Grain for India. Telegrams have been sent by the San Francisco citizens’ committee to the Governor* of Oregon, Washington, Kansas, Nebraska and lowa, asking the people of those States to nnite with California in •ending a shipload of grain to the starving

THREE MEN PUT TO DEATH. Terrible Vengeance Wreaked on the Murderers of the Cotton Family. John Johnson and Arch Joiner, who murdered the Cotton family, were taken from jail and lynched by a mob at Amite City, La. The crowd at first decided to burn Johnson at the stake, but finally concluded to hang him. Both negroes were therefore hanged and shots tired into their bodies. The same mob also lynched Gus Williams, who was accused of murdering his wife. All three of the men executed by the mob were colored. Johnson and Joiner, according to the confession of the former, were guilty of the murder of the five nembers of the Cotton family some time afo. The trio of murderers were taken from the jail at Amite City together by the mob. Shortly afterward a report was received that Williams had been hanged to a big oak tree in front of Little Zion Church, not far from Amite City, and that the mob was on its way to Tickfaw with Johnson and Joiner, who would no doubt meet a horrible fate. Johnson inude a confession during the day. His story of the slaughter of the family was peculiarly brutal. He said that he had always liked the Cotton family, and would not have harmed them had it not been lor the fact that he was bullied into what he had done. He armed himself with an ax, not with the intention of hurting any of the people in the house, but to prevent their escaping, ns he had been told to watch a door. The murder, Johnson said, was planned by Bud McKnight, who was a suitor of the girl, Maude Miller, whose mother, Mrs. Cotton, whipped her for allowing McKnight’s attentions. This was the only motive he knew for the crime. He said Arch Joiner shot Cotton, the head of the household, with a gun and then struck Merven Stevens, the son of Mrs. Agnes Stevens, with an ax on the forehead, knocking him back on the bed and killing him. Joiner finished the men and then went into the room which was occupied by Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. Cotton and Lizzie Miller, with Maude and several children, and killed the three women. LOST WITH ALL HANDS. Schooner Nahum Chapin Goes Ashore Near Quogue, L. I. The schooner Nahum Chapin, of Rockland, Me., was wrecked near Quogue, L. 1., and the crew of nine men perished. The vessel came ashore during what is reported to be the severest storm of the winter. She was first seen on the o*#ter bar about 4 o’clock by a patrolman from the Quogue life-saving station. About 8 o’clock the vessel began to break up, parts of her coming ashore, and in less thnn four hours from the time she struck she went to pieces, the masts falling into the •en, carrying the crew, who were clinging to them, along. Before the schooner broke up six men were seen clinging to the foremast rigging and three others on the jibboom, but owing to the heavy surf and the strong wind the iife-snving crew was unable to launch the lifeboat to rentier assistance. The name of the schooner was learned from pieces of wreckage which were washed up on the beach. The Nahum Chapin, Captain Arey, sailed from Hampton Roads Jan. 17 for Boston. She was a three-masted schooner, built at Rockland, Me., in 1882. Captain Arey leaves a widow and three children, residing in Malden. Mate Davis and Second Mate Maddock leave a wife and one child each. The cargo was valued at $3,400; the schooner at $15,000. Both were partially insured.

ROSS AND SHEA EXONERATED. Sensational Charges of Conspiracy and Complicity Fall Flat. Assistant Chief of Police Ross and Inspector John D. Shea, of Chicago, have been cleared of the ugly charges of conspiracy and complicity in the snle of the stolen Schrage bonds. “Sleepy” Burke’s sensational accusations have fallen flat and the civil service investigation is ended, after having produced enough inside evidence to aid the police in a criminal prosecution of the men who are marked as the purchasers of the Schrage plunder. Two motives led to the investigation of the charges. The chief one was well attained, that of clearing the police officials. As to the other, only partial success met the efforts. Secretary Easley of the Civic Federation was stamped as indiscreet, but his true motive in giving the charges such wide publication was not discovered. Mr. Easley, when on the stand, admitted he hail blundered and even said ho had failed to fulfill promises made to Chief Badenoch. EXPORTING “SOUR WOOL.” Abont 10 Per Cent. Bent from Russia to This Country Is Worthless. Much of the wool which is exported in large quantities from Russia to the United States, principally at New York and Philadelphia, is being Inrgely adulterated with “sour wool” gathered from the clippings of sheepskins made into clothing. This “sour wool,” according to United States Consul Heenan, at Odessa, is nearly worthless to our manufacturers. In anticipation of the taking of wool from the free list large quantities are being hurried to the United States, and this contains from 10 to 12 per cent of the adulteration, of which our manufacturers are ignorant, but which could readily be detected by the custom house inspectors.

Jnpan Plans a Cable. James A. Scrimser and Edmund L. Bayliss were before the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce in the interest of the Pacific Cable Company of New York. They both argued upon the merits of the Scrimser bill over the Spalding bill of the New Jersey company. Mr. Scrimser stated that his company would want eighteen months after the passage of the bill to complete cable to Hawaii and one year more to complete it to Japan. He said that in case of war with England cable communication with Europe would be cut off. Mr. Patterson of Tennessee said it had been charged that the Scrimser company was in sympathy with or had connection with England and English interests. Mr. Scrimser said that, of course, his company would expect to do English business and Mr. Patterson said there should be inserted in the bill a provision that the cable company should not come under British influence. Mr. Scrimser referred to the statement that Japan wanted no other cable connection as ridiculous. He said the assertion of Mr. Swayne before the committee to that effect was absurd. He also said that China and Japan telegraph lines were dependent upon and controlled by the Russian lines. The Spalding company would build to Hawaii and stop. His line to Japan would save the people of that country more than a million dollars in tolls and it was ridiculous to say that the Japanese wanted no cable. “The Japanese,” he said, “are flocking into Hawaii now. This country is going to have a contest with the Japanese or some other power to control Hawaii. It is necessary to have a cable there as soon as possible.” The discussion among members of the committee developed that there is yet a wide difference of opinion on the subject of the cable. Delgado Is Dead, Consul General Lee has telegraphed the State Department that Henry Delgado, correspondent of the New York Mail and Express, who had been a prisoner, died in the hospital there Tuesday night. 1 i Agreement •'iqrned. The Attorney General has entered into In agreement with the reorganization I

committee of the Union and Kansas Pacific railroads by which the Government is to join the committee in foreclosure proceedings. The committee guarantees ta the Government that at the foreclosure sale it shall receive a bid of at least the original amount of the bond, less payments made by the company to the Government, with interest at the rate of 3*4 per cent per annum. The agreement has been signed, and active steps will be taken in a few days. The Government Will receive $46,000,000. TWO BIG FIRES. Chicago Factories an! a Palatial Residence Destroyed. John Williams, day watchman in the big factory building of Greenlee Bros. & Co., 225 to 235 West 12th street, Chicago found two pipes frozen Sunday morning ii a small room at the rear of the first floor Late in the afternoon he and his assistant, the day fireman, started to thaw out the pipes. They probably succeeded in doing so, but the fire that followed their efforts laid the entire block in ruins. The fire started shortly after 7 o’clock iu the room the two men had left an hour or si before, and between the slippery streets nnd the frozen fire hydrants in the neigh borhood the (ire department was so de layed iu getting water on the blaze that the flames spread through the five floor.of the building, and by 10 o'clock hat completely gutted the structure. A losi of between $300,000 and $400,000 was sustained by the Greenlee Bros. Company and the Northwestern Stove l’epaii Works, two concerns owned by Robert L. and Ralph S. Greenlee. David B Carse, general manager of the Greeulei Bros. Company, thought that the amount of insurance carried would cover the loss The residence of Charles J. Barnes, 223$ Calumet avenue, Chicago, was totally destroyed by fire at 2 o’clock Monday morn ing. His private library, one of the finest in the United States, and collection oi bric-a-brac, on which a high value is sot, were destroyed, nnd with the damage tc the building and furnishings will make the loss fully $200,000. BUSINESS INCREASING. Prices, However, Are Lower Where Any Change Is Made. R. G. Dun & Co.’s Weekly Review of Trade says: “There is more business, though not at better prices. It is interesting that almost all prices which change at all are lower, and yet business is unquestionably larger. There is larger production, but as yet not as much increase in consumption, and there is larger buying of materials, but at present only because better prices are expected in the future. A few conspicuous failures have had no material influence. The market for securities is slightly stronger, and yet there is very little doing. The number of hands employed, all industries considered, is slightly larger than a week ago, without adverse change in the rate of wages. All apprehension of foreign disturbances of money markets has passed away, but there is still great caution in making loans. It is a mistake to reckon these ns symptoms of depression. On the contrary, in spite of the lower range ot prices in important industries, the conditions nil indicate larger production and a consumption increasing, not ns yet largely, but steadily.”

WIDESPREAD COLD. Low Temperature Experienced in Almost Every Section. By Monday morning the severe cold wave extended ns far east as the Obit Valley and southward to Texas, when the temperature fell from twenty ti forty degrees in twenty-four hours. It was below freezing iu Tennessee anil Cen tral Texas; below zero in. Ohio, Indiana Illinois anil Missouri, and 20 degrees be low zero over the Dakotas and Miuite sota. The indications were that the coli wave would extend eastward and south ward over the Atlantic and Gulf coasts The temperature fell to near zero fron Virginia northward, and freezing weath er extended southward to the Gulf am South Atlantic coasts. In twenty-iiv years Chicago hail experienced no sue! severe cold. Sunday morning tho mer cury was 17 below zero, and in the \vhol< day there was a variation of lmt 4 degree? Monday morning the temperature was 1! below zero. The suffering in the city wa. indescribably terrible. Crew anil Vessel Slink. The British steamer Salisbury, fron Port Reath to Newport, has been iu col lision with an unknown steamer nbou four miles from Ilfracombe, Devonshire Tlie latter is supposed to have sunk with a crew of about twenty men. Eckels Story Is Denied. It is stated on authority that there is no truth in the published reports that Mr. Eckels, the Comptroller of the Currency, would accept the presidency jf a Chicago trust company now iu process of formation. Duel to the Death, John Dairy and Ben Dryman, rivals for the affections of a county belle, fought a duel with revolvers near .Cynthiana, Ivy., anil both were killed. The duel was fought in the presence of the girl. Foreign Money Is Cheaper. The Bank of England’s rate of discount has been reduced from 4 to 3*4 per cent.