Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1898 — TO HONOR A PATRIOT. [ARTICLE]

TO HONOR A PATRIOT.

GRATEFUL TASK PROPOSED FOR AMERICAN CHILDREN. ■ ■ <> Plan la Afoot for a Monument to Gen. Lafayette, to Be Erected in Paris— His Grave Is Unmarked Freight Blockade in Chilkoot. Monument to Lafayette. A movement has been set afoot to have the United States erect a monument to Gen. Lafayette in the city of Paris to be dedicated during the Parisian exposition. The projector of the movement is Robert Thompson of Chicago, who has been assured by the French Government unofficially, through M. Picard, that ground for the monument cun be secured through the municipality of Pnris in case it be deemed inadvisable to erect it over the grave of Lafayette, which is now obscure and almost unmarked. President McKinley and Assistant Secretary Day, Mr. Thompson says, have shown much interest in the matter, which has been brought officially to the attention of Congress through resolutions offered in both houses. A resolution offered by Senator Thurston of, Nebraska makes provision for a commission to supervise the collection of a fund among all the schools of the United States for the purpose of erecting a monument to Gen. Lafayette in the city of Paris, France —the same 4o be presented to the Government of France Riid unveiled and dedicated on the fourth day of July, in the year 1900. A preamble to the resolution declares that it is proposed to signalize the celebration of United States day at the Paris exposition of 1900 by the erection and dedication, on that day, of u monument from the people of America to Gen. Lafayette.

Great Fire iu Pittsburg. Three important Pittsburg business houses were visited by lire, involving a loss of $200,000. The fire started on the niuth floor of the National Wall Paper building, 815 Penn avenue, and within twenty minutes after the alarm was beyond control. Iu a very short time the fames were communicated to the H» Childs & Co.’s nine-story building at 813 Penn, and from there to the building of M. Oppeuheimer & Co. at 811. The fire was a furious one, and a general alarm was necessary. The losses are: National Wull Paper Company, SIOO,OOO, completely covered by insurance; J. F. Haney & Co., retail wall paper dealers on the first floor, $15,000, insured; T. A. Gillespie, owner of the building, $30,000, insured; the 11. Childs company, wholesale dealers iu boots and shoes, SIOO,OOO, fully insured; M. Oppeuheimer & Co., wholesale" clothing dealers, loss,* mostly by water, will reach $15,000, insured. Beaten and Robbed In Ohio. Three masked men entered the residence of Newton Baldwin, in the vicinity of Seliqa, 0., by breaking a front door panel. Baldwin and his two sisters, Eliza and Ellen, were awakened by the report of a pistol fired close to Baldwin’s bed. Baldwin mude an attempt to get up, but was threatened with death. sisters were choked and Baldwin was beaten about the head. The doctor says all will recover. The robbers took S2O in paper money and an unknown amount of silver, and a,gold watch. A reward of SSOO for the arrest and conviction of the robbers is offered. Thousands at Dyea. A traveler returned from Dyca, Alaska, says: “For the past month men have been pouring into Dyea by thousands. There is a congestion of freight along the trail and at Dyea. The ChilkooPitnilrond and Transport Company Railroad is completed, but has been unable to run for several days, because men were unable to live on the summit of the pass. The chaotic condition of things cannot be conceived by those who have not seen it.”