Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1899 — REDUCTIONS IN NAVY. [ARTICLE]

REDUCTIONS IN NAVY.

GENERAL CUT TO BE MADE IN THE SERVICE. Secretary Long Qrders the Retirement of Nearly 5,000 Officers, Seamen and Marines—Many Soldiers Injured in a Collapse at Columbus, Ohio. officers nnd Men to Be Discharged, Secretary Long has issued orders looking to the retirement of nearly 5,000 seamen and officers. He takes this step after consultation with the President in order to reduce the naval service to the limit of a peace basis, which the ratification of the treaty will render necessary. All officers and men added to the marine corps during the war are to be mustered out of service. The full enlisted force of the marine corps allowed by law is 4,700, which for the war was increased by about 2.000 additional men. These are now to be discharged. It will be impracticable to retire men from Admiral Dewey’s squadron. so the subtractions will have to be made from the home force and will, it is said, result in the retirement of several vessels in the Atlantic squadron. It will also delay the establishment of the Asiatic and European stations, which the department has been contemplating. Col. Haywood says that 6.000 men will be needed for guard duty at Guam, Cavite and other islands taken from Spain. Secretary Long is looking for final relief to the naval personnel bill. SOLDIERS IN AN ACCIDENT. Serious Mishap to Soldiers of Fourth Ohio Volunteers. Two hundred members of the Fourth Ohio volunteers, who were gathered at the Auditorium in Columbus to be mustered out of service, were hurled from their resting places at an early hour the other morning by a sudden collapse of the improvised beds. Twenty-three of the soldiers were badly hurt, although no fatalities are reported. In. order to accommodate the men, temporary double-decked bunks had been built of tent floors and of scantling. Under the weight of the soldiers the structure toppled over and collapsed. Lack of bracing of the bunks is the reason given for the accident. The men in the lower bunks suffered the most. FARMER SLAYS HIS BROTHER. Old Quarrel Renewed, Causing a Fatal Shooting Affray. While attending the farmers’ institute at Ada, Ohio, Homer Weicker, a Wealthy farmer, was shot and instantly killed by his brother, Bird, also a farmer. The Weickers had trouble about two years ago over the settlement of their father’s estate, and, meeting on the crowded street, the quarrel was renewed, with the result that Bird shot his brother three times, two of the bullets landing near the heart and causing instant death. The slayer surrendered to the authorities. Ten Coaches Destroyed. Fire in the paintshop of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis road at Nashville, Tenn., burned ten coaches, including President Thomas’ private car and the pay car of the road. The loss on the building is estimated at $20,000 and on the rolling stock at $37,500. Conncilmen Sue a Judge. Several months ago Judge Tarvin of Covington, Ky., sent several councilmen to jail for contempt of court in disobeying an order of court to furnish supplies. Now the five councilmen imprisoned have sued Judge Tarvin collectively for SIO,OOO for false imprisonment. Barn and Valuable Horses Burned. The stock barn of Dr. C. H. Phelps, at St. Marys, Ohio, was destroyed by fire. Among the horses destroyed were Ethel Rose, owned by D. Armstrong, and the 5-year-old stallion Edward 0.. with a record of 2:14, owned by Edward Orphal. Reduces Telegraph Rates. Both branches of the Kansas Legislature have passed the bill reducing telegraph rates. The bill reduces the charge for day commercial messages of ten words from 25 to 15 cents, and other tolls in proportion. French Steamer Angers Lost. The French Western line steamship Angers has been wrecked and five of those on board of her drowned. The storm was reported terrific in the North Sea and on the French and Belgium coasts. Great Fire in Lima, Ohio. At Lima, Ohio, the Lima paper mills were almost totally destroyed by fire. The plant was the property of the American Strawboard Company. The loss is $125,000, insurance $70,000. No More Concessions for France. The Viceroy of Nankin, Chiba, has refused to grant further concessions of territory to France, as a result, it is believed, of the protests of the American and British ministers. Engineer Dies at His Post. With his train thundering along at fifty miles an hour, Horace Webber, a veteran Lake Shore engineer, fell dead in his cab from an attack of heart disease near South Bend, Ind. Drowned in a Bath Tub. Mrs. Florence Ritchie, a member of Frank Daniels’ company, playing at the Broadway, Denver, fainted while taking a bath at the Albert Hotel and was drowned.

Treasurer Bonnd and Gagged. At Baldur, Man., two men gagged and bound Municipal Treasurer Borrower and robbed him of S7OO. The highwaymen escaped before their victim’s cries brought help. Miss Olive Sampson Married. Olive Farrington Sampson, daughter of Admiral and Mrs. William T. Sampson, and William Harrison Scott of San Francisco were married at Glen Ridge, N. J. Secret Treaty Is Alleged. According to Chinese report, a secret treaty exists between Great Britain and the United States to prevent any further alienation of Chinese territory. Wife Murderer Bunged. Silas Anderson, colored, who shot and killed his wife March 13 last, was hanged in the county jail at Pittsburg. Jealousy was the cause of the crime. Three Blown to Pieces. Two men and one woman were killed ! and seven children fatally wounded by a terrific explosion of Mauser ammunition at Matanzas, Cuba.

AMERICANS GET A GRANT. Syndicate Obtains the Right to a Railroad in Ecuador. An American syndicate has obtained the right to build a railroad in Ecuador, connecting the seacoast belt with the rich interior, heretofore almost cut off from the , outside world. The details of the contract have not been officially published, but : United States Consul General De Leon at ; Guayaquil has supplied the State Depart- ; ment with much data respecting the enterI prise, which, in his opinion, is likely to ! lead to the complete reformation of the country. As an incident to the execution of the contract the company has found it necessary or expedient to buy the entire national debt of Ecuador, amounting to $3,500,000. the corporation assuming liability for about $1,500,000 to the bondholders. The company has also received a concession to establish a bank in Guayaquil with a capital of $1,000,000, which is to be in operation by next March. PURCHASE A CUBAN RAILWAY. English Capitalists Get Control Of the Caibarien Line, A dispatch from Havana says: “By the purchase of a large block of the Caibarien railway, L. Ruiz & Co., bankers, representing English capitalists, have secured a controlling interest in that line. The same men have also been large purchasers of the stocks of the Sagtia and Cienfuegos companies. They expect to have soon a controlling interest in those two concerns and owning, as they do, the United Railway lines, will be in a position to dictate terms to.the Jucaro company, which is the wealthiest and most prosperous in the island. If the Jucaro stock cannot be purchased, the line will undoubtedly be paralleled, thus giving a trunk line from Dinar del Rio to Santa Clara.” Omaha Admits Chicago Lines. Bj' the action of the City Council the Illinois Central and the Chicago Great Western will be admitted to the heart of Omaha. A franchise was granted the Omaha Bridge and Terminal Company to use certain streets for railroad tracks. This is the end of a long fight, the roads mentioned being the power behind the terminal company. The Mystery Is Solved. The mysterious disappearance of Attorney A. R. Macall of East Liverpool, Ohio, last July while insane has been cleared up by the finding of his skeleton in ravine almost in sight of the'home of his parents. He had hanged himself to a tree by a strap, the body falling, owing to decay. He was 35 years old. The identification is complete. Secures the Endowment. It has been announced that the offer made some time ago bj’ Dr. D. K. Pearsons of Chicago to give $50,000 for the endowment of Berea College. Kentucky, if the trustees would raise $150,000 by Dec. 31, 1898, has been made binding by the fulfillment of the condition. Gave $200,000 to a College. The will of the late Mrs. Caroline L. Macy, filed for probate in New York, bequeaths to the New York Teachers’ College $200,000 and $5,000 to the Presbyterian hospital. The personal estate is valued at more than $1,500,000 and the real property at $50,000. Filipinos Massacre Spaniards. Gen. Rios cables from Manila confirming the report that all the Spaniards at Balabac, an island of the Philippine group, situated thirty miles south of Palawan. have been assassinated with the exception of the women, whose release is being asked for. London Murderer Hanged. Schneider, the Pole who, Nov. 11, murdered a German baker’s assistant by throwing him inside an oven at London, England, was executed at Newgate. Court Kills a -Criminal Law. The indeterminate sentence act, socalled, has been declared to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. Robbers Take Everything in Sight. A Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis passenger train was held up at Macomb, Mo. The robbers took everything in sight. Large Granaries Burn. The large granaries of Belden & Co. and Ferrin Brothers at Genessee, N. Y., were burned, with a loss between SBO,OOO and $90,000. Damage by Fire in Bremen. Fire in the warehouse district of Bremen caused a loss of 1,000,000 marks ($242,500). The origin of the fire is unknown.