Pike County Democrat, Volume 29, Number 36, Petersburg, Pike County, 13 January 1899 — Page 2

She gifec (Eountg democrat WL Met’. STOOPS, Kdltor lUid ProprtotoBi PETE1* Himfi. : : INDIANA. The cabinet, at its meetings, on the 6th, gave special consideration to the administration of affairs in Cuba. The statement of the condition oi the treasury issued on t lie 4th showed: Available cash balance, $294,145,207; gold reserve, $246,173,682. 5 Owing to the protracted illness ol : Sir Henry Irving, Miss Ellen Terry is XM* organizing a company of her own in London, with which she will tour the - provinces. ---> It is estimated that the increased cost of the army under the Hull bill, * should it become a law, over the pres* ent expenditure, will be $57,710,231, OX l a total of $§2,053,865.

In well-informed quarters in Paris it is regarded as probable that France and Great Britain will reach an agreement on the Newfoundland shore question which will be satisfactory to Great Britain. « The treaty of Paris was sent to the senate by the president, on the 4th, whereupon that body immediately went into executive session and referred the treaty to the committee 6s foreign relations. Maj. Esterhazv, now known to; be the author of the Dreyfus bordereau, has been summoned to appear before^ tj*e—Paris court of cassation, on the 12th. It is understood that he will be free from arrest coming and going. IA special dispatch from Vienna fcays Count Goluehowski, the AustrO-lJun-garian minister for foreign chairs, will shortly ask for a credit in order to elevate the Austro-Hungarian legation at Washington to the rank of an embassy.

The inauguration of Frank Rpllina as governor of New Hampshire took place at Concord, on the 5th, in the presence .of both branches of the legis- ' lature and a large company of • distinguished public aien and friends of the new chief magistrate. « —--*-- ' The London Daily Chronicle rulers editorially in words of warmest wel- I come to the expected coming of Joseph H. Choate as United States ambassador to Graet Britain, describing ■ him as “thoroughly representative of all elements in America,” 4 —■— -< i • The Filipino insurgents refuse to liberate their prisoners on the demand of the Americans, claiming that thii might be construed as an act of submission to the United States. With regard to liberating the monks, the insurgents intend to negotiate with the Vatican directly. • , -•- . 1' A duel between M. Horanszky, a memberof the lower house of the Hungarian diet, and Baron Banffy, the premier, took place at Buda Pest on the 3d. Pistols were the weapons used. The duel was bloodless. Each fired four shots, but both were too much agitated to aim their pieces. The sword of honor to be presented at the direction of congress toi ltearAdmiral Dewey, as a national recognition of his victory at Manila, has been completed by Tiffany & . Co., of New York, and placed in a window for public exhibition for a few days, When it will be shipped to Washington. Madame Teresa Carreno, the famous pianist, arrived at New York on the Trave, from Bremen, on the 6tlu She Will make her first appearance this season in Boston ns soloist with the Boston symphony, with which organization she will make a week’s tour including the principal eastern cities. The Chicago Times-Herald says: s Ureater Chicago is in sight. Steps have been taken to secure legislation to consolidate the city and county governments and abolish the different . township organizations within the city . limits. To accomplish the desired re\«ult an amendment to the constitution will be necessary. Mrs. Bloomfield Mftcsre, of Philadelphia, who was largely interested in the Keely Motor Co., died at her house in Great Stanhope street, London, where she had lived for a dozen years, on the 5th. She was a voluminous writer for the press, and constantly fought what she considered the battle for women.

The Madrid newspapers continue to charge the Americans in the Philippine islands with all kinds of atrocities. As a sample of the current fictions, they accuse the Americans of delivering up a Spanish naval lieutenant, who is alleged to have surrendered to the United States forces, to the insurgents, who subjected him to all kinds of tortures. . The correspondence, published officially, on the 6th, in connection with the peace treaty contains much or interest from Consul .Williams, who was stationed at Manila, prior to the war. He was in constant communication with Aguinaldo for some time after the battle of Manila bay, and his letters throw much light upon the relations with the Philippine chieftain. Assistant Secretary Howell of the treasury department has under consideration the cases of several Chinese laborers and others seeking admission to Hawaii. Under the Hawaiian laws they were allowed to visis their native country and return upon complying with certain conditions as to registration, etc., before leaving. Now they are met by the Chinese exclusion law* of the United States. About 800 Chinese are affected.

| JANUARY—1899. * 8 15 : 22 29 16 23 30 Tm. 10 17 24 31 11 18 25 Thar. 12 19 26 fti. 13 20 27 Sat. 28 CURRENT TOPICS. THE HEWS IH BRIEF. 3FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS. (Second gwrioa.) In the senate, oh the 4th, the first session held subsequent to theholiday recess, the reading of the journal was dispensed with upon the appearance of Maj. Pruden, assistant secretary to the president, who presented a message from the president containing the treaty of Paris. The senate Immediately went into executive session, and the treaty was referred to the committee on foreign relations, after i which the open session was resumed. ' Senator Allison announced the death of Senator Morril, when the usual resolutions were adopted, and, as a further mark of respect, the senate adjourned. ....In the house the session was devoted to consideration of the bill to define and punish crime in Alaska. The house finally adjourned as a mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Morrill. In the senate, on the 5th, little business of interest was transacted. A resolution, ’offered by Mr. Hoar (Mass.), directing the committee on foreign relations to report to the senate whether the treaty of Paris makes any provision for the claims of citizens of the United States against, Spain, which were in existence before the present war, and the status of such claims after the ratification of the treaty, , was adopted.In the house quite a number of bills of minor importance, reported; from the Judiciary committee, were, passed. The remainder of the day was occupied in continuing the consideration of the bill to codify the laws of Alaska. “ In the senate, on the 6th. a resolution was adopted in secret session calling on the president for Information as to instructions to the commissioners who negotiated the treaty of Paris, etc. Mr. Caffery spoke In favor of the Vest resolution opposing expansion. Mr. Morgan announced the acceptance of a modified form of amendment to his Nicaragua bill. .In the house, in committee of the whole, the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill being under discussion. on motion, the appropriation for the civil service commission was stricken out. PERSONAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Steamer NE\v England arrived at Vancouver, B. C., on the 7th, with 180,000 pounds of halibut, caught off Queen Charlotte island. It is a record catch. The town of Pullman—church, hall, market house, library and 2,000 brick residences—will be sold to the highest bidder. The place will cease to be a town, and will be added to Chicago. - Minister Conger again protested against the granting of France’s demand for the extension of territory at Shanghai, and the Pekin government has decided to refuse to yield to France. England has replied to the czar cor? dially indorsing the proposed peace conference, and asking under what heads the discussion is to be conducted. The secretary of war has directed that the camp at Knoxville, Tenn., be broken up and that the Thirty-first Michigan and all other troops now there be sent by rail to Savannah with a view to their transportation to Santa Clara, Cuba. Milton Remley, attorney-general for Iowa, on the 6th refused to pay the 50-cent war revenue tax on his official bond.' He holds that the federal government has no right to tax a state officer and proposes to make a test case. , if The Divide Cattle-Growers* Protective association, with headquarters at Eastonville, Col., has been organized. The object of the association i§ tb protect stock from increasing depredations of gray wolyps and coyotes, by offering suitable bounties for scalps. The pests have destroyed considerable stock this winter, in spite of •Russian bloodhounds, trappers and hunters. On the ninety^first ballot the deadlock in the Delaware house of representatives was broken. Theodore F. Clark, regular republican, was elected speaker, receiving 18 votes to 13 for Wm. Sharp, the candidate of the Addicks republicans. Ten of the 12 democratic members of the house voted for Clark, and thus secured his elec

UDD. '» The rainfall of 7.20 inches in the 36 hourf ending at 8 h. m. of the 6th, I at Yicksbsrg, Miss., was the most remarkable in the history of the Vicksburg weather bureau. It caused serious damage and delayed trains on the railways. The track of the Alabama & Vicksburg road between Bolton and Baker creek, 22 miles east of Vicksburg, was under water to the depth of 6 feet. Senator Caffery, on the 6th addressed the senate in support of Senator Vest’s anti-expansion resolution. He made a constitutional argument. ’’s Anti-civil service people scored a victory in the house when they struck out the appropriation for the civil service. >The appropriation, however, will be reinserted by the senate. Ex-confederates in Florida have seconded the resolutions of the Arkansas post by adopting similar ones against the granting of pensions to ex-oonfed-erates. ' fj- ; A special from Montpelier, Vt., says: Gov. Smith has tendered the place in the United States senate left vacant by the death of Senator Morifll to B. F, Fifield, of this city. Mr£ Florence Ritchie, a member of a theatrical company, playing at the Broadway theater, Denver, Col., fainted while taking a bath at the Albert hotel and was drowned. *

; 7 —---— A big boiler being tested in Hew. ittV ship-puilding yards at Barking, England, burst, on the «th, and the superintendent, engineer and eight men were killed. About forty persons were injured, some fatally. On the 6th anti-expansionists were successful in the senate in passing Senator Hoar’s resolution calling upon the present to submit to that body the instructions given by him to the j Paris peace commissioners. At Pemberville, O,, by an explosion ' of gasoline, the hardware store of Kiel A Sou was baldly wrecked, and Augustus Keil, the junior partner, so f badly injured that he died in an hour. I His right arm was blown off, and the ] right side of his face torn off. Mr. I Keil was a leading citizen and former mayor of the village. Janesville, Wis., lays claim to a man ! who has not partaken of a bite of ! nourishment for 35 days. He is A. D. j Hendrickson, for 16 years superintend- j ent of the state industrial school, and he is sufferingas the result of a stroke of paralysis. 9 LATE NEWS ITEMS.

Alexander Bradford Upshaw died, on the 8th, at his home in New York city, aged 48 years. He was a native of Holly Springs, Mass.; had teen connected with the Nashville American; was appointed commissioner of Indian affairs in 1889 by Secretary- Lamar, and was afterward Calvin S. Brice’s political and business manager in Ohio. • Frederick Silberg, one of the most | famous Knights of Pythias in the i country, died at his home in Cleveland, O., on the 8th. Silberg was six feet five inches tall and weighed 310 pounds. He was one of the axmen • known as “The Big Five,’’ and he had [ for years led the parade at the national encampment. According to the statements of people who have arrived at Hong Kong from the Island of Balabac, south of ! the Island of Palawan, there is no ' truth in the report that the Spaniards j there had teen massacred by the Fin- I pinos. They say the story is an in-: vention of priests to prejudice the Filipino cause. h It was announced, on the 8th, that George A. ArmourTof the class of ’77, had given $10,000 tOs^Princeton university to found a classical library. For the next three years he will give $2,700 annually for the further support of the department. Mr. Armour went to ' Pfiaceton from Chicago ill 1894, WilliiMfi Endicot, aged 100 years, died at feeverly, Mass., on the ‘8th. * He was an eyewitness of the engagement between the frigates Chesapeake and Shannon, June 1, 1813, and w-as of the sixth generation from Gov. Endicot, of Massachusetts Bay colony. Bailer* Decker, colored, who murdered his wife near Tottenville, Staten Island, N, J., last March, was electrocuted at Sing Sing prison, on the 9th, Gov. Roosevelt having refuged to interfere in his behalf. •; j j £ B. F. Fifield, in an interview, on the 8th, said that he bad not accepted the appointment as senator, and would not give his answer to Gov. Smith’s offer until he had fully considered it. Miss Sophie Dallas, daughter of George M. Dallas, who was vice-presi-dent of the United States under President Polk, died sin Philadelphia, oa^ the 8th, in her seventy-sixth year. The Oregon legislature convened at Salem on the 9th. Both houses Were organized at the special session in* October last, and it is probable that or- I ganization will be continued.

CURRENT NEWS NOTES. The president is preparing* to appoint commissioners to the St. Petersburg peace conference. The third part of Prine Bismarck’s memoirs, dealing fully with his resignation of the chancellorship, has been printed. Considerable excitement has been created by the finding of gold in the western portion of Dearborn county, Indiana. The steamer New England arrived at Vancouver. B. C., with 180,OQQ pounds pf halibut, caught off Queen Charlotte island. It is a record catch. Ex-confederates of Florida have seconded the resolutions of the Arkansas post by adopting similar ones against the gi-anting of pensoins to ex-eonfed-erates. It is said that the negotiations between England and France regarding the Newfoundland shore are nearing a successful consummation in England's favor. England has replied to the czar cordially indorsing the proposed peace conference, and asking under what heads the discussion is to be con

ducted. A special from Montpelier, Vti'.says: Gov. Smith has tendered the place in the United States senate left vacant by the death of,Senator Morrill to B. F. Fitield, of this city. Mrs. Florence Ritchie, a member of a theatrical company, playing at the Broadway theater, Denver, Col., fainted while taking a bath at the Albert hotel, and was drowned. Anti-civil service people scored a victory in the house when they struck out the appfopriat ion Jor the civil service. The appropriation, however, will be reinserted by the senate. The town of Pullman—church, hall, market house, library and *,000 brick residences—will be soid to the highest bidder. The place will cease to be a town, and will be added to Chicago. A report comes from Eagle City, Alaska, that there is no truth in the story that the miners had lynched Jack Jolly. Jolly, the report says, was formerly city marshal of Eagle City, and well liked. Milton Kemley, attorney-general for Iowa, refused to pay the 50-cent war revenuj# tax on his ofhcial bond. *Re holds {hat the federal government has no right to tax a state officer, and purposes to make a test case. f

NEWS FROM INDIANA. Latest Happenings Within Hie Bor* den of Ottr Own Sta te. Hera's Ashes Bmrteil. Greensburg, Ind., Jan. 7.—The cremated remains ot George L. Fermier, aged 30. ensign of the battleship Petrel, who died on board that ship near Manila last November, arrived at Weisburg and were interred by his relatives. The bddy of Ensign Fermier was sent* , to Shanghai, where it was cremated, j the ashes being shipped to thi> country in an tins. He sightei^f^eguns on the Petrel during rk?wTle_with the Spanish fleet near Manila on the morn- j ing of May 1, 1S98.

A Decided Keltef. Moore’s Hill, led., Jan. 7.—The col- ; lege winter^term opened with the ina- j Jdrity’of fall-term students in attend- j ance and a good increase for the win- j ter months.’ President Lewis report* : that all over southern Indiana there is a decided relief from the pressure of j recent hard times, and that hundreds ] of young people are planning to at- : tend institutions of higher education. He is of the opinion that Moore's Hill college will have her share. . ^ A Close Call. Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 7.—Fire broke out in the art store of J. H. Clark & Co. and a fine stock was destroyed or damaged to the extent 5of $3,000. The adjoining stores of Besten, Boyd & Langen and P. Cramling & Son were damaged by smoke and water. The entire loss is about $13,000. The fire occurred in the very heart of the city, and for nearly an hour threatened the main business portion. A Spaatih Una. Indianapolis. Ind., Jan. 7.—One of the Spanish guns taken by the battleship Indiana after.the naval battle at Santiago has been delivered at the state capitol. It was forwarded toy Capt. Taylor, of the battleship, who will come formally to present the relic to the state. The ship’s punch bowl, which was damaged in the fight, is also to be brought here and placed on exhibition. Jumped from a Window. New Albany, Ind., Jan. 7.—John Daugherty threw himself from a window at the county asylum and will die of his injuries. Several years ago Daugherty possessed considerable property. He was a minister in the United Brethren eburofa, bait through drink fell from grace several years ago and also lost all his propgptyr-'

Smashes Windows, Muncie, Ind., Jan. 7.—This city has a new sort of criminal called “Jack the Window Breaker.” He goes about the town at night smashing windows with a club. In the eastern portion of Muncie in one night the fellow smashedwindows in a dozen different Ipnldings. He has thus^ar eluded the vigilance ofthe police. Legislature Mast Fix Rates. Kichmond. Ind., Jan. 7.—In the suit to test the reasonableness of gas rates charged by the Richmond Natural Has company, Jacob Kabb, of Williamsport, returned here and decided that the legislature, and not the court, possesses the power to establish rates and regulations for public-service corporations. Haaged Himself. Goshen, Ind.. Jan. ?.—W. A. Jackson, one of this city’s best known business men. committed suicide by hanging himself to a rafter- in his barn. No cause can be assigned for the aet, ex cept temporary insanity, resulting from a sickness from which he expected never to recover. __ -*> Tarns Editor. Knox, Ind., Jan. = 7.—F. C. Pilling, & former private in company G, Eighth United States infantry, stationed at Havana, has secured his discharge from the army and i.Ss-now connected wish the Times of Cuba,"the first American daily. newspaper published in Cuba. Goes to CUIcatro. Greencastle, Ind., Jan. 7.—Rev. X-. K. Weaver, who resigned his charge here to accept the chaplaincy of the Or.yiHundred and Fifty-Ninth Indiana regit sent, has been tendered anji has accepted the pastorate of the Ninth Presbyterian church itv Chicago. -£| Salary Increased. Elwood, Ind., Jan. 7.—The city council has increased the mayor’s s; lary from $600 to $1,000. The council also refused to grant a franchise tc the Long-Distance Telephone cc ropany of . Indianapolis to enter Elwood. Sickness at Soldleri' Home Marion, Ind.. Jan. 7.—There Is a yreafc deal of sickness at the solci - -s’ ht.i le at present, and nearly ail the < isesroi y be classed under the general head of ;rip All the beds in the hospi d arc occuPied- C

Free Delivery* - Bluffton, Ind., Jan. iluffton will enjoy free delivery March .i„. The Philadelphia system of street and h >use numbering will be adopts . Thret letter carriers will be appoir ed.. Found Guilt . Shelbyville.Ind., Jan. 7, -“ICid” W aitney was found guilty of •obbing Mrs. Mhry Ann Nugent last S ptember and sent to Jeffersonville pri m on a t vo-to-fourteen year sen tent . A Farmer Sale tea. Lebanon, Ind., Jan. 7.—Bart Hut hison, a young farmer, res -lug near he village of Advance, conn it ted suicide by hanging himself. The muse for he act is unknown. Fatal!? Bnr .it d. Clinton, Ind.. Jan. 7.--» i ines Phipps (white) and Van Suggs ( olored) were fatally burned by a terrific dust explosion in the Terry mines.

REFRIGERATED BEEF. % LUoL-Cot. Smith, off tho SotatatoMO Dm pwtm«at, Soya It woo Ahudaat ooO Wholmomo. ^ Washington, Jan. $.t—CommissaryGeneral Eagan, of the army, has mads public a letter from Iaeut--Col.< A. L. Smith, of the subsistence de}»artment, touching the use of refrigerated beef furnished to troops in Porto Rico from that landed at Ponce. In this letter Cel. Smith says*in part: - i Uffletn If ho Favored Refrifentor Beef. “Among others to whom the re frig- : erated beef was -issued,. I remember the following officers as having spoken of the immense superiority of it over the native beef: Maj. H. P. Birmingham, surgeon of the general hospital; Capt. Irvine, Eleventh infantry, who t was acting as commissary for the steamship Panama (I think), loaded with convalescents en route to the United States; capt. W. P. Evans, commanding battalion Nineteenth infantry; Capt. IIoppip, Second cavalry,

commanding cavalry squadron. • No Car* Taken or the Be*t After Landing. “There. were no preparation made for the receiving and taking care of the beef on shore. It had to be un- . loaded by lighters and thrown on the floor of the commissary storehouse until the troops called for it in open wagons. lt was, therefore, subjected to the worse possible usage in hand* ling. It was frequently 12 to 18 hours off the vessel before being issued. One -issue to Capt. Hoppin was over 24 hours in the storehouse. Notwithstanding; this the meat was in good condition, except pieces which had not been sufficiently protected, but could be trimmed off with some loss. ' ,; Inspected the Refrlserator Beef Every Morning. “I inspected the refrigerator beef each. morning before it was issued, and know that it was in good condition, except as stated above. Cases where it was rejected were, I think, due to the prejudice arising from the appearance when out of the refrigerator a short time and to the fact that it was known the beef had been a long time on the vessel in Porto Rican waters. “The officers without exception to ‘whom I spol^e condemned the use of the native beef, which had tq be consumed the same day it was slaugh- j tered." Col. Smith also has the following to say about rations for the soldiers: .-H Complete Rations Almost Always Available. “I further beg to call your attention to the fact that with the exception of i soap and candles for t^vo or three . days there was never a time after my arrival when the main store house at Ponce could not issue the complete ration, fresh vegetables not included. These Spoiled so rapidly that it was deemed best to commute the rationof them for several weeks, and give the troops the money value to buy other articles. Coarse salt was issued in lieu of fine on one or two occasions. Were Unsystematically Unloaded. “Commissary stores had been so unsystematically unloaded at stores at Ponce that ft was hard to tell what articles were? on hand in the island in sufficient quantity to provide for the wants of the soldiers. What the Receipts Will Show. “I further beg to call your attention to the receipts filed with my July and August returns in your office from the commissary officer of each artillery, cavalry and infantry command, which left port Tampa for Porto Rico up to August 16, with 60 days’ rations. These receipts will show that complete rations were furnished to every vessel with the exception of a small portiefi of the fresh vegetables that it was well known cotlld not keep 60 days. Ration* Abundai c In Quantity and Excellent In Quality. ; - /‘I further state that about 10 a. m., October 10, on taking leave of Gen. Henry, commanding United States troops at Ponce, he requested me* among other things, to say to the honorable secretary of war on mv ;jrriral in Washington, that the rations fdrnishe*i to the troops in Uorto Rico were abundant in quantity and excellent in quality.” .

EXCITEMENT AT SANTIAGO, Still DlnttU&od With the Concent rat Ion Policy—Turned Budlti am! murderers and Were Captured. [ Santiago de Cuba, Jan. 9.—Senor Bacardi, the mayor of Santiago, is cabling to Havana each day regarding the situation, explaining that the local excitement growing out^of the pro- | posal of the Unitedistates authorities to concentrate the\custoins receipts at | Havana, is not allayed and that the : people want provincial and municipal autonomy. It is understood that Gen. Wood, governor of Santiago, wife Gen. Castfllo, will reach the United States on or before Tuesday next, and arrangements have been made for a special cable service to inform the people Here as to developments after Gen. Wood’s arrival in Washington. f Lieut.-CoK Kay reports from Guantanamo that a Cuban major a short time ago took to the woods with several of his men, became a bandit and killed five men. The entire hand has been captured, and will • be put on trial. Socialist Riots While Goins to the Tomb of Ulonqnl. Paris, Jan. 9.—The socialists’ annual pilgrimage yesterday to the tomb of Blanqui in the cemetery of Pere la Chaise, led to riots between the rival partisans of Henri Kochefort, editor of the Intransigent, and M. Jaures, editor of the socialist Petit Republicque. Dcsd at One Hundred. Beverly, Hass., Jan. 9.—William Endicot, aged 100 years, died yesterday. He was an eye witness of the engagement between the frigates Chesapeake and Shannon. Juno 1,1813,

GEN. OTIS* ORDERS. *■»« tMd Ttqoim iHvtdbt^r asd Takethe City at Iloilo toy Tores* if Mwwty. 3&L/' ■ ': 4 Washington, Jan. 9.—A council of war was held a t the White Bouse yesterday afternoon, which ip participated irv. by President McKinley aad Secretaries Long and Alger. .» As a result of the eouierencs imperative orders! were sent to Gea. Otis to take possession of Iloilo, by force if necessary. - "V * T|us action was deemed necessary, aftec_lhe recei pt of adrtcef from Hollo saying the insurgents had assumed a defiant attitude and threatened to burn the town at the iiriag of the first shot. The dispatch from Gen. Otis says further that Gen. Miller had advised him that up to last Friday he had been unable to effect a landing. Gen. Miller had been notified by the insurgents that the landing of American troops

would oe oposea t»y torce. Scenes of disorder are o? daily occurrence at Iloilo, and the foreign^ re»idents have ftetitioned Gen. Miller to give them protection S y Gen. Otis also advised the department that Aguinaldo has issued * proclamation stating that the insurgents had battled for years u*r their independence, and the war wouldba continued. He accused the Any an government of bad faithyhnd said h« would never consent to American occupation of the islands. Deep anxiety is felt h|||Ue officials, and it is now admitted the situation is serious. The instructions Niet... previously to make a peaceable landing were at the instant^ of certain senators who believed any Conflict between the insurgents and the United States droops would have An ill effect upon the ratification of the peace treat}'. < Owing to the embarrassing position in which the stand by, the insurgents has placed'H^he United States,. peaceful negotiations' will cease, and the city of Iloilo will be taken by assault if the insurgents refuse to surrender at oneey , . A DISPATCBTfROM GEN. OTI$.

Evidently Contained Important imtormatlon. But the Officials Itefuned to Giro It (tat. I ' •-- ' ? Washington, Jan. 9.—The war department received another dispatch yesterday from Ma3.-G«h; commanding the United ^tntce troops in the Philippines. Thejs|eials observe Unusual reticence with respr-et to its contents, hut it is understood that the information containednot of an' unfavorable character or such as to give undue concern to the administration. So far as the officials are willing to admit the dispatch shows no material change in the conditions existing at the time of the previous ad^ vices. One cabinet officer last night said* if contained nothing of character alarming, serious or exciting. There had been no collision with the insurgents, he added, and not a shot had been tired. The disjotchi however, is believed to have been of sufficient importance to bring the matter to the immediate attention of the president, and Secretary Alger and Adjt.-Oen. Corbin were in conference' some time during the afternoon, presumably on the matter. The president’s procla- • mation to the Filipinos had been published in Manila, bdt UeudOtis did not say to what extent it hftdtbeen made known to the inhabitants its the other parts of the group ^islands, norwhether it had been published at Iloilo. At the latter place (ien. Miller has been directed to landtroops under his. command now oft the trans- t ports there, but the dispatch from (ien. Otis did not indicate whether this had been done or not. FATAL FLAMES.

Three Um Lost :»:ul JdanJ Injured la (lie Bara tag o( a Pittsburgh Hotel v Heroic Rescue*. -— Pittsburgh, Fa., Jaq^ 9.—A fire, which broke out iu the Hotel Ilichelieu at 3:13 o’clock yesterday ,morning-, resulted in a property loss of only about $15,000, but three lives were sacrificed and five people were badly hurt. The fire originated op'the second floor from an explosion of gas, and within a few moments the building was a mass of; flames had blinding smoke. The noise of the explosion© awakened most of the |[jruests, about twenty in number, and a frantic flight for life ensued. ' % Robert N. Thompson, oi Kalaski, Mich., a salesman -fbr the Cadillac Lumber Co., was the means of saving at least siix lives. In the first moments after the explosion, he rushed into the hallway of the second floor and stumbled over the unconscious form of a woman, vrhoih he dragged into the reception room. Five oibersi three men and two women, who had been turned back from the stairwayby the flames, were shrieking and fitting for some exit. Thompson forced- them all into the big room and locked the door. Knowing that it meant death to go into the hall, he fought the desperate men back until the arrival of the firemen. when all were rescued. Death of a Man of UlvfrsSfd Talent*. Cleveland, O., Jan. 9.—-Col. Richard C. Parsons died yesterday morning, aged 72 years. Col. Parsons had long been a distinguished ■qdtiaen of Cleveland. As a young- man he was a member of the Ohio house e>f representatives and speaker of that body. Later he was appointed by President Lincoln consul to Mo Janeiro. Subsequently he was marshal of the United States supreme court. He served one term in congress, and was intrumental in inaugurating the harbor improvements at this port. For a time he was editor of the Cleveland Herald. - . ala