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FATAL FOREST FIRES. HUNDREDS PERISH AlHD THE SEETHING FLAMES. TV..J Tl. I. imnno.nf. lilC i/CtlU MJkKJ MMM iU KAlUUCOUiO) Wisconsin and Michigan?Frightful Fate ot Hinckley-^Dcstruction In Pennsylvania and New York. Never in the history of the Northwest, except at the time of the fires in the Michigan pineries In 1871, has there been such a terrible loss of life and such suffering as has just been caused by forest fires in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The loss of life has been awful. At a late hour It was estimated that between eight hundred and fifteen hundred persons had been burned to death or suffocated, and the wide discrepancy in th?se figures was proof of the utter impossibility of getting reliable a. information, Property losses already reach up into the millions. One of the most painful features of the whole affair is the charge that these death dealing fires were started by incendiaries \ among the woodmen, who were led to commit this terrible crime by a desperate desire to get work, as the conflagration will necessitate the Immediate cutting of a vast quantity of scorched timber to save it from total low. The work of recoyerine scorched and blackened bodies and identifying and bury ing them went forward in those districts where the flames had spent their fury, while in other parts men were fltrhtlnsr grim death all day long in towns threatened with liko destruction. The acarecate loss will run into millions. but It Is absolutely impossible to give any trustworty estimate, as so wide an extent ot country was devastated. The largest single los3 was that of the Brennan Lumber Company. of Hinckley. Minn., which is placed at $600,000 by the officials ot the company. The agtrregate loss is variously estimated at from throe to five millions and this does not ineln le the standing timber destroyed. The followlnc towns in the Northwest have been either totally or partially destroyed by the flames: Pokegama. HInokley. 8andBtonp. Mission Creek, Rutledge, Mansfield and Mllaoa. in Minnesota; Bashaw, Barronette, Benolt, Cartwright, Fiflold, Granite Lake, Grantsburtr, Glldden, Marengo. Mnseado, Shell Lake, 8onth Range, Poplar. Boencer, Highbridge, Ashland, Junction and Wasbburne. in Wisconsin; Ewen and Trout Creek, in Mlohlgan. The latest advices from the soene of the big Are indicated there would be a total of nearly 400 lives lost. This included the fatalities at Hinckley, Pokegamn, Rutledge, Sandstone and all the area of :ountry covered by the conflagration. Seirohing for the dead under anything like system had then only begun. At noon fully 200 dead were gathered in the cemetery at Hinckley awaiting burial. There were two great heap3 of naked and oharred bodies in every con* eeivable distorted attitude. There were sixteen known to be dead at Pokegama. There were fifty-one at Sandstone village, and about thirty more from the outlying country. But it must be remembered that the fire covered a large area of country, omn of it very hard to get over by searching pirtles. There are many isolated families living In the oonntry; and all suffered to some extent. It will take at least a week to asoertain how many are lost, and manv of them will never be identic fln-l. Many families are being cared for at Pine City and Dulath and Superior. At the former place there are about 500 homeless people, and it is estimated that at least 1000 people will have to be taken care of until they can get a new start in life. The wounded in hospitals at Pine Olty were all doing well. The surgical staff was supplemented by a number of physicians from the "Twin Cities." It seemed that forest and peat fires had been raging within a short distance of Hinckley for some weeks, but no apprehension bad been felt by the Inhabitants, and no preparations had been made for emergencies. The fire approached, fanned by a strong wind, the smoke grew denser i as the day advanced, and it toon became dark as night. About 4 o'olock the wind changed and the residents of the doomed town saw the flames wore bearing down upon them. As the alarm rang through the streets the people rushed from their homes, and when they caught light of the red, onrushlng sea of fire, they became panlc-stsicken. The fire shot across the town and the people fled In all directions. They ran wherever they thought the/ could find refuge. A large number ran to a pond some three or four acres in extent and three or four feet deep. Women and children ran side by side with cattle Into the pond and crouched close to the water, for the smoke hung low and the flamea were dangerously close. The largest crowd of people rushed to Grindstone River, a mall shallow stream, which it was thought would afford protection from the flames. Bat the water was too low, and all miserably perished. There the relief parties foand the bodies lying in the water, and rudely trampled by the flying cattle. Just as the flames were raging fiercest, a train arrived over the Eastern Minnesota and 500 people clambered aboard. It was a godsend to the people, who offered up prayers of thankfulness as the engineer sent < the train at rapid speed away from the burning town and bact to safety in Superior. Another party had rusned for the limited on the St. Paul and Dalatb, but as the fire cut off their way in that direction they ran to a shallow pond near by. There, like rats In a trap, they perished one and all! One hundied and five bodies were removed from tho miserable pond by the Belief Committee, where they had been literally roasted to itwa.? akaalnfal?? ?ia IftCtlLU* iuoto n oo auoyimoij uu East of the village there was a stagnant pool of rain water. Over one hundred people sought refuge there, and of these only one man Is known to have perished. The imwith sawmills, planing mills, stables antf 28,^ 00,000 feet of pine lumber, was wipod out in almost lees time than it takes to write it. With the stables were consumed ninety head of splendid horses. As the flames subsided and the shadows of nigbt closed down over the ill-starrei town, the people left their places of refuge and made their way over the smouldering embers through the one street of the village. The flro had spent itB lorce, but the ruins till glowed red through the dense cloud of smoke, marking the soots where a lew hours ago were the homes of a prosperous and happy people. Guided by the weird light, nen moved about as if dazed, locating the spots where their homes had stood. The air was filled with moanlngs of the wounded, for whom no assistance could be had, and with sobbings of thosa who had lost friends or possessions, or both. When the terrible night was ended and the light of another day dawned upon the scene of desolation a few energetic spirits recovered from the blow and began to organize for the work of recovering the bodies. Two hundred and thlrtv-three holies were buried, only twenty-three of which could be identl* fled The reporter picked h!s way throush deserted avenues of Hinckley.Minn., encounter ingthe bursting romnins of horses, cows, eats. chickens, and dogs. He overtook Hans Paulson, an employee in the Brennan mil). "I am troing out to the cemetery to see if I cm find my wife and four children," he said. "I lost them all." Therninwaspourincinsheets. Atthecem*tery. a mllnandahalf from town a half dozBn m?n were dijreinsra trench. A heapdf bodies * ? ? -H 1- -?M4UAI ?VI? Aflmutarp Jty UU ft hawil IU lll? nil 1UIOUI %UTJ ^.oiu^vkj There were ninety-six naked bodies, men, women.and children.scorched.blackened.di?torted. brains protruding. hands clutched in their lim agonies, hair singed from heads , old, young, middle asel. mile nnd female, all in a piomiscuous heap. In another eorner of the cemetery -were forty-five other bodies covered with guilts. A majority of those lost were Scandinavians. and many of these, distrusting the banks since last year's panic, carried their savings In their pockets, and where it was in paper money It was. of eourse, destroyed. Reports continue to come in from the violnity of Skunk Creek of added discoveries of burned viotims. Fifty-eight dead were found lying in the streets and in the immediate vicinity of this village. The total in the vicinity will reaoh fully 400 dead when all the returns are in. Identification is an exceedingly difficult matter. J. D. Mnrkham. of Rush City, says that the populai DQ of Pokegama aggregated 113 ouls. Of tlia number sixteen are known to to burned. \ tfi&Xv,''.- t ? v.; Sandstone, Minn., is In complete rains, there being bat one building standing, a shack used by theqaarrycomDany. Crowded Into this building and the ferry, the relief party found over 200 people who had lost their homes and everything they possessed except the clothing they wore. All those saved at 8andstone were in the river while the cyclone of flames passed, and they only managed to escape by wading in the water as far as possible and throwing water over each others' heads. The coming of the flames sounded like thunder,and with such AlA *Kat? ArtmA 4-V? n ? r\AAnIa nrh/\ IU|;(UUjr uiu illxsj vvmu kuav pw^iv u uv waited to save property or neglected to seek safety In the river perished in the flames. As far as can be learned between forty and fifty people are dead. Broad Park, Pokegama 8tation, Minn., a new town on the St. Cloud and Hinckley branch of the Great Northern, was totally destroyed. The flames burned 300,000 feet of lumber, a sawmill, hotel, stores, post* office, school house and section house. Twanty-flve families in the immediate neighborhood are homeless. The total loss of property is estimated at $300,000. In accordance with an order issued by General Merritt, commander of the Department of Dakota, Company G, of the Third United States Infantry, stationed at Fort Sneliing, left on a special train on their way to Hinckley under command of Captain Hale. The principal purpose of sending the Federal troops was to fur* [ nish tents an I blankets to the people o( Hinckley. The soldiers were equipped with ammunition and were to do guard duty protecting property and supplies. Not since 1871 has Michigan seen sucb awfhl devastation by forest fires. Some idea of the extent of damage can be gained from the fact that more than 1000 6quare miles oi territory has been burnbd over, 700,000,000 feet of standing pine scorched, and 800,000,000 pieoes of cedar ruined, and this does not inolude the loss of scores of sawmills, lumbering plants, and piles of dressed lumber, nor does it take into consideration the hundreds of homes belonging to homestead settlers that have beeo wiped out. Owing to the fact that all the railroad lines in the utrper peninsula run through these blazing forests and the ties and bridges have been burned, train service has been abandoned. Prom latest accounts received it is now believed that the worst is ovrr and the fires will subside, although the people will not feel safe until a heavy rain falls. The best general estimate of the loss of property in the northern peninsula of Michigan is 82,000,000. The heaviest loser by the forest fires at Chippewa Palls, Wis., is Cornell University, which has nearly $1,000,000 invested in pine lands looated chiefly around Loner Lake. These lands have been completely divested of standing pines, and their loss will be almost complete. The destruction of Barronett, Wis., was complete. One building is left of a city of 700 inhabitants. One man was burned to death. The total loss is a quarter of a million dollars. Three hundred and 6ixty persons are homeless. Forest flree raged in Pennsylvania, all along the line of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg P?ailroad. Reports from all points on the narrow gauge stated that the wools were on fire for miles, and the damage would be heavy unles^rain should fall. Forest fires raged fiercely all around Jamestown, N. Y. At Falconer during the last few daj3 farmers have had to organize a bucket brlgude and work hard to keep the flames from setting fire to their houses and barns. Forest fires in Chautauqua County, New York, ratjed with increasing force through meadows, woods and farms, reducing to waste the source of livelihood of a considerable portion of the farmlnc noonlatlon. No one feels safe, for the fires progress with such incredible velocity that those on picket duty sometimes are barely able to give notice of approach before the flames are in possession of the property, and sometimes have to flee for their lives. Reports have been received of extremely dangerous fires In Lewis and Ulster Counties. Later Details. Prom revised returns received from the ! burned regions of Minnesota, Wisoonsln and I Michigan the following are the total and partly burned towns and counties: Minnesota towns totally destroyed?Hinckley, Pokepama, Sandstone, Sandstone Junction or Miller, Partridge, Cromwell, Curtis, Cushing, Mission Creek. Partly destroyed? Flnlayson, Mansfield, Butledge, Milaca. Minnesota counties burned over?Pina. Partly burned over?Kanabec, Carlton, Banton, Aitken, Mille Lac, Morrison. Wisconsin towns totally destroyed?Cornstock, Benoit, Barronett, Poplar, Marengo, Granite Lake. Partly burned?Spenoer, High Bridge, Ashland Junotion, Fifleld, Washbarno, Cartwrlght. Grantsburgh, Turtle Lake, Bice Lake, Muscoda, Bashaw, Shell Lake, South Range. Wisconsin counties partly burned?Barron, Washburn, Florence, Ashland, Taylor, Chippewa, Burnett, Marinette, Price, Grant, Douglas, Marathon, Bayfield. Michigan towns partly burned?Trout Creek, Ewen, Sidnaw. Miohigan counties partly burned?Hough, ton, Ontonagon (almost total except In towns), Huron, Macomk The General Executive Committee In charge of the relief work made a report of the dead bodies recovered as follows : Hinckley, 271 ;Sandstone, 77 ; Miller (often ' called Sandstone Junction), 15; between Skunk Lake and Miller. 12; Pokegama, 25^ In lumber camps, 50. Total, 450. Everything at Sandstone has burned, the only thing loft standing being the schoolhouse walls and bit; bank safe. One farmer, who lived about half way between Miller and Sandstone, killed himself when he saw his wife and three children, and his son-in-law, wife and child all burned to death before his very eyes, and his home, stock, and savings of a lifetime swept away. THE UNCONFIRMED. Nominations That Were Not Acted on, or Were Rejected. The following nominations failed of confirmation by the Senate during the second session of the Fifty-third Congress t United States Distrlot Judge for the Eastern and Middle Districts of TennesseeJames D. Porter. United States Attornep?John W. Beekman lor the District of New Jersey, William M. Marbury for the District of Maryland. Collectors of Internal Revenue?Geo. W. Wilson for the District of Florida, A Auifustus Healey for the First District of New York. Collectors of Customs?David G. Brown for the District of Montana, James W. Ball tm tlio r\f Ynrmlnn In thfi Rtntfi of Oregon; George M. Hansom for the District of Passamaquoddy, In the 8tate of Maine. Indian Agents?Thomas B. Teter, Fort Hall Agency, Idaho; Marshall Petit, Klamath Agency, Oregon. Supervising Inspector of 8team Ve9sels? John H. Galway for the Eighth District. The following nominations wore rejected daring the session Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States?William B. Hornblower and Wheeler H. Peokham. Consul?Benjamin Lenthier, Sherbrooke, Quebec. Collector of Customs?Edward J.Taylor for the District of Niagara, New York. Surveyor of Customs?J. Scott Harrison for the Port of Kansas/ City, Mo. Begister of Land Offloe?Henry W. Long, Gainesville, Fla. Postmasters?Jonas Shays. Oswego. N. Y.; Treadwell B. Kellum, Babylon, N. Y.; Thomas B. Manlon, Herkimer, N. Y.; George P. Van Dam. Tompklnsvllle, N. Y. MANY LIVES LOST. Chinese Flo%v?r Boats Burned on the Canton River. A terrible flra occured on the Canton River, China. A flower boat caught fire, and the flames spread rapidly until hundreds of these crafts ware destroyed and at least one thousand natives perished in the flames. The flower boats were moored stern tc stern in rows, and large numbers of natives lived upon them. The spread of the conflagration trom one boat to another was so rapid that the unfortunate Chinese had no time to cut them from their moorings, a strong wind materially helping to spread tne flerce Are. Many hundreds of the persons aboard the flower boats leaped overboard ami were drowned, while several hundred others remained on Board the doomed craft and per* Ished In the flames. THE NEWS EPITOMIZED. Eastern and Middle States. Pobsst fires have done great damage In Pennsylvania. Thb torpedo boat Ericsson, after a journey through Inland waterways for 8613 allies, passed through New York Harbor on berway to her official trial at New London, Conn. Ex-Vicb-Pbeside>*t Morton "addressed a letter to the Republicans of New York 8tate, anuounolng his readiness to run for Governor or not, as they saw fit. Tbz Police Board of New York City dismissed Captains Davery and Cross and exWardmen Burns, Glennon and Smith from the force, having fcrand them entity of the sharges of bribery, for whioh thejr had been tried. Two persons w.-ia killed, three seriously hurt and many slightly injured In a rear end collision in Camden, N. J. Iir the Eastern and Middle States Labor Day was generally observed, workingmen's organizations having many parades. A strike of several thousand garment workers In New Yors City and Brooklyn was betrun. with the object of abolishing the "sweat" gystenu South and West. The National Labor Commission, in session at Chicago, adjourned to meet in Washington, D. CM September 26. Fobest fires in Northwestern Wisconsin have been lntermittent'for two months, nnd the aggregate loss is not less than $3,000,000 among the plneland owners and sawmill men, besides loss to Individuals. Louis Galvik, fifteen years of age, held tfcp and robbed five boys at St. Joseph, Mo., while they were playing ball. He used a revolver to show he meant business. Qalvin got $1.20, and was soon/arrested. The Texas Republicans named W. K. Makenson for Governor. Govebkob Waite, of Colorado, was acquitted of violating the secreov of the malls. The Grand Jury In New Orleans, La., adjourned after Indicting eleven Councilman and the City Engineer for "boodling." Dtnr Williams, nephew of Allen O. Thurman, committed suicide by leaping from a window In the Capitol at Columbus, Ohio. Bobebt J., C. J. Hamlin's pacer, went a mile at Fort Wayne, Ind., In 2.03%, the greatest record In th9 history of harness racing. The flood which visited the country west of San Antonio, Texas, beginning at a point abou* fifty miles distant from there and extending for nearly 200 miles, was one of the most terrible catastrophes the State has suffered slnoe the Indlanola calamity, when all the ooast towns were swept Into the Gulf of Mexico. The Democrats carried Arkansas by 30,000 majority. Washington. A contention to promote Southern d?? velopment was held in Washington. The President has commuted the death sentence of Mitchell Thomas, the Indian murderer, of Wisconsin, to life imprisonment. Undeb instructions from 8eoretary of State Gresham, Minister Baker has demanded of Nicaragua a fair and impartial trial of the Americans arrested for complicity in the Blueflelds conspiracy. The full text of the engineers' report on the New York and/New Jersey bridge plans j is made public. Sechetab* Carlisle gave craers ior an Investigation of the sugar room of the New York Custom House. Foreign. Gebma* and English warships assisted King Malletoa to put down arsbellionin Samoa. The International Peace Congress at Antwerp resolved to petition European Governments to put a stop to the Korean war. Abbe Bbuxeau has been galllotlned at Laval, France, for the murder of ^Abbe Erioot at Entrammes. Hive* people bave been summarily shot in Haytl for attempting to murder President Hypolite's daughter. Spaix has cancelled the reciprocity treaty between the United States and C aba. VIKING SHIP SUNK. The Famous Craft Ooe9 to the Bottom of the River. Alter sailing thousands of miles over the Atlantic Ocean, up the St. Lawrence and through the lakes to Chloago without a mis* hap, the Viking ship wa* sunk in the Chi* , cago River during me late fltorm. xnis famous vessel was one of the notable exhibits at the World's Fair. The Viking ship, which was built on the model of an old Viking rover found fourteen years ago In the eround deep under the vlli lage of Gogstad, near Sandefjord, sailed from Chrlstlania on April 9, 1893. Her comI mander was the famous Captain Magnus Anderson, who, with a picked crew, cruised along the coast for a time and early in May commenced the trip across the Atlantic, whloh ended triumphantly. Captain Anderson's object, it was given out, was to show that the Norsemen might have discovered America while on some of their venturesome trips on boats such as the Viking. When the strange craft reached New York, it remained in North River for some time and was of popular Interest. The Viking was seventyseven feet long and palled sixteen oars to the side. She was built throughout of solid century defying oak. SIGNALLING- BY SUNLIGHT. Messages Flashed Between Pike's Peak and Denver. A. message was signalled with sunlight from tho top of the Equitable Building, Denver, Co)., to the summit of Pike's Peak, sixtysix miles. Several days ago Sergeants McGlone, McLaughlin and BIs3el left Denver for Pike's Peak to make the experiment. This was the message which was flashed from the top of the Peak : "Pike's Peak.?To Captain Glassford, Denver: We greet you via sunbeam. Arrived at 4 p. m. yesterday. Snow storm prevented our opening station. McGloke." Experiments will bo continued at certain hours for tbroe days, at the end of which the signal men will start for tbelr attempt to flash a message from Mount Uncompahgre to Mount Ellen, 183 miles. The flashes of the mirror on Pike's Peak could be distinctlyseenbythe naked eye during the transmission of the message. The Peak was first called from the Denver side of the line, and within flvo minutes after the operators began their work came the response. TWO EECOEDS IN A DAY. Lucania to New York and Campania to Queenstown. The Cunard line steamships smashed two tranatlantic records in one day. First, the news came that the Campania had lowered all eastward recor is one honr and twenty minutes by reaching Queenstown from New York in five days, ten nours and forty-seven minutes. A?ent Vernon H. Brown felt proud and bf?^an to talk or still better achievements, not dreaming that at that minute the Lucania *>ua luauiu^; iu iww.iias jl'mu xoinua itvinj ahead of time, throwing records to risrht and left, as she swept ou towards Sandy Hook. It was so fojjgy out there that the steamship was scarcely reco;?uiz'3cl, and it was almost 5.30 before it wa3 learned that at 4.53 p. m. the Lucanla hud passed the lightship ?just five days, eight hours and thirtyeight minutes after leaving Daunt's Rock. She had thus beaten the Campania's record of two weeks ago byflfty-one minutes. utntiKG tne late British naval manoeuvres a pigeon was obtained from Dublin 'by the officers of the Tatona and utilized by a correspondent to send a telegram to a London journal when the ship was sixty miles out at sea. The bird arrived home In perfect safety, and the message was duly forwarded and printed next morning. Abx Buzzard, the notorious Pennsylvania outlaw, was sentenced to tleyea years' Imprisonment for burglary* - :-4- .CV. \ LATER NEWS. VzMOjrr elected the entire Republican ticket by a majority of about 25,000. The Colorado Democratic State Convention nominated for Governor Charles 8. Thamas, of Denver; for Lleutonant-Gover* nor F. L Meaton, of Pueblo. A TBAirp named Bourt, who assaulted Mrs. TUIllKrtrva Tpna />onoVifr ntirl hronffht to Wat6r? town, Sooth Dakota. About 11 o'clock he was dragged through the streets with a rope around his neck and was hanged to an electric light pole. The President appointed W. F. Marbury, of Maryland, to be Attorney of the United 8tates for the Dlstriot of Maryland. Mr. Marbury was nominated for the office on April 12 last, bat the Senate failed to confirm htm. Uncle Sam's cash balanoe Is beyond the danger point, and the gold reserve is also gaining slowly as the result of Increased Treasury receipts. 8enatob John P. Jones, of Nevada, who has sat In the 8enate as a republican twenty-one years, has joined the Populists. IIoobs have looted the Hebrew quarters In six towns In Morocco, killed many and sold women and children Into slavery. The Vigilant lost her centreboard while proceeding to Cowes, England, and the race for the CaDQ Mav Cud was declared off. Eupebob William, of Germany, unveiled a monument to the memory of his grandfather at Konlgsberg. Miss?3 Mabion Glendekivo and Kitty Kutz, both of Brooklyn, N. Y., aged twentytwo and fifteen years, respeotivoly, were drowned near the mouth of the Oyster River, Saybrook, Ccnn. Both legs and one arm of William Carnew, a coal inspector at Midvalley Colliery, Penn., were cut off by a train. His sixteenyear-old son saw the accident, bnt Instead of summoning aid ran in affright to his home In Mount Carmel. Mr. Curnew was dead when his body was found an hour later. He was rich and leaves a widow and four children. Genebil Geoboe Stonehas died in Buffalo, N. 1'.,at the residence of his sister, Mrs. Benjamin H. Williams. He was a noted cavalry leader and was once Governor of California. The Republicans of New Hampshire nominated Charles A. Buslel for Governor. Govebnob Waite was renominated by the Ponuiist Convention at Pueblo, Col. James J. Hill, of St. Paul, Minn., President of the Great Northern Ballroad Company, donated 5000 acres of land, valued at 93 an acre, to furnish homes to survivors of the forest fires. He has also given $5000 in cash. Gexebal Sc no field has ordered that hereafter no person under the age of twentyone years will be enlisted except boys as musicians or to learn music. The establishment of a Division of Highway Geology Is In contemplation by Director Walcott of the United States Geological Survey. It Is proposed to establish a laboratory for testing all materials used In the construction of highways. These have been 3000 deaths from cholera In the Austrian provinces of Gallcla and Bhkowlna. The Japanese claim to have completely routed the Chinese at Gazan. Korea. The fishing schooner Blgel arrived at North 8idney, Cape Brenton, with Dr. Cook's Greenland expedition on board. The Miranda struck a rook and later foundered at sea. i CONDITION OF TEE TBEASURY Decrease ot the Public Debt and In-' crease In Cash Receipts: The monthly statement igsued from Wash* ington shows a net decrease in the publlo debt, less cash in the United States Treasury, daring August ot $3,174,612.69. The Interest bearing debt increased 880,000, the non-interest bearing debt decreased $91,977.55, and the Treasury increased $8,032,745.24. The baiance of the several olasses of dJbt at the close of business August 31, were: Interest bearing debt, $635,042.670; debt on whloh interest ha3 ceased since maturity, 81.831,750.26; debt bearing no interest, $379,867,593.47 ;total, $1,016,742,018.73. The certificates and Treasury notes, oflbet by an equal amount of cash in the Treasury outstanding at the end ot the month were $615,350,572, a decrease of $1,621,757. The totaicasnin the Treasury was 81,621,757. The total cash in the Treasury was $701,703,357.85. The gold reserve was $55,216,900. Net cash balance, $71,931,197.27. In themonththere was an Increase in gold coin and bars of $936,033, the total at the olose being $120,835,869.49. Of the surplus there was in national bank depositories $17,330,897.20, against $17,466,156.52 at the end of the previous month. Bi.fko Hmn in two vears and more the receipts of the Treasury for any one month hare reached $49,000,000, those ot August, as stated In the statement Issued aggregating just $40,417,603. This is nearly six million more than the receipts in July. The sources of ani amonnt of receipts for August were: From customs, $11,804,314; Internal revenue, $27,562,273 ; miscellaneous, $1,050,412. While the receipts in August were abnormally large, the expenditures, owln? largely to the fact that but little interest on the dobt was paid in tbat month and muoh in July, were $5,000,000 less than in July. The exSendltures were on the following accounts: ivil and miscellaneous, $9,826,488; war, $5,660,?11; navy, $3,446,272; Indians, $476, 815; pensions, $11,334,569; interest, $911,579. As compared with those of July and August, 1S93, the expenditures for ttie same two months this fiscal year were $4,500,000 less. This saving is shown alone in pensions and war expenses. SWEPT BY THE FLOOD. An Awtul Catastrophe Overwhelms Uvalde, Texas. A terrible catastrophe befell the thriving town of Uvalde, Texns, and there is mourn ing in many Households. The treacherous Leona Rivsr, swollen to a raglnq torrent by recent rains, rushed without a moment's warning down upon thetown. submerging and wrecking many houses and drowning a number of people. In the excitement of the day it was not definitely known how many had been drowned. Among the bodies identified were: Mrs. Joseph Hatch, Miss Mattie Edwards, child of Mr. Miiley, two Mexicans. It was about 2 o'clock In the morning when the flood came. Just as the storm broke over the city a torrent of wtter rushed down the Leona River, overflowing tun banks of that stream and flooding the lowlands on either slie to a depth of several feet. The east side of the city is built on low land, and was directly in the path of the water. An earthquake shock of some seconds' duration was distinctly felt during the night. At one place near the city about a quarter of a mile of heavy cracks appeared on each side of the Leona Itiver, having apparently no bottom. The loss to the Southern Pacific Company is enormous, forty miles of track and many bridges having been washeJ away. A rou?h estimate of the I033 to property in general and to the railroad company will, as far as known, reach 91,500,000. At Flora, Ind., Walter Long, In a spirit of bravado, jumped into a bin of wheat, whioh was being loaded tor an elevator Into a o&cHe was draTQ la and suffocated. PROMINENT PEOPLE, The President of Chile gets $15,000 a year. Bismabck has 482 crosses and decorations. Olives Wendell Holmes has just celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday. Kino BcTABrrA.Br, of the Gilbert Islands, Is a great monarch; weight, 345 pounds. The oldest prelate in the Church of England is the Bishop of Chichester, who is ninety-one. Db. Vibchow, it Is said, has fallen Into the habit of taking only three hours' sleep out of the twenty-four. It Is one of the odd habits of Dr. Blackie, the distinguished Scotoh philosopher, to wear indoors a broad-brimmed hat. Secbetabt Gbeshaic, who is raraly seen without a cigar in his mouth, is said to allow himself twenty cigars, of the best grade, a day. Kobebt Blaine, brother of the late James mt K..a VvftQn nrvrk/vinfarl trt n I VT. Diamc, U'W lyowu ?^uiunv>4 ~ clerkship in the Library of Congress, Washington. Genebal 0. 0. Howabd is having a house bniit overlooking Lake Champlain at Burlington, where he will reside after hia retirement Irojn the army. It is now rumored that childless Russell Sage will build a monument to himself by leaving in his will a fortune of over $25,000,000 in philanthropic bequests. A statte of Prince Luitpold, Regent of Bavaria, has been torn down from a park in Garmisch and carried away. This is said to be a sign of his growing popularity. The German Emperor, in spite of his lama and useless arm, is an excellent horseman. Attendants have to helD him Into the saddle, but once there he can master any horse. Pbofessob Stellwag vox Cabiox, the famous oculist of the University of Vienna, has retired owing to old age. Many Americans have studied under the professor. Ex-Govebnob Sfbagce, of Rhode Island, Is now living In a small cottage near the beach at Narragansett Pier; and discharges the duties of Chief of Police at Narragansett Pier. It is said that Senator Dolph, of Oregon, i never smiles. Ia the whole course of his service ia the Senate nobody has seea his eye light np or his lip quiver. Why it is no one nas ever had the courage to ask. LonD Bbeadalbaxe is credited with owning the most magnificent residence in Scotland. His lordship can ride 103 miles west lrom Taymouth Park to Armaddy Castle, on the Argyllshire coast, w.thout setting hoof oft his possessions. Geoboe m. pullatajj started in life ns n house mover. He made his first stake in a contract for moving a large number of stores and other buildings from the banks of the Erie Canal, the job being made necessary by the widening oi that waterway. Repbesentative Talbebt, of South Carolina, occupies a unique position among Congressmen in that he neither goes to the theatre, drinks, smokes, chews or plays cards. He has a habit, however, of never passing a beggar on the street without giving him a nickel, disposing thus of the small change that most men spend on themselves. W. C. Howeu.9, father of W. D. Howells, the novelist, died at Jefferson, Ohio, of paralysis. He was eighty-eight years old. He was engaged in newspaper work from 1830 until 1874, when President Grant appointed bim United States Consul at Quebec, where lio oo'tmH frmr vnnra TTo wnq nlsr? (Consul at Toronto for five years. He served in the I Ohio State Senate in 1864-5. - I FARM MP HOME. OWNERS, They Number 12,760,152 in the United States. The Census Offloe has made pnblic the principal results of the investigation of (arm and home proprietorship, which was made In all of the States and Territories. This is the first investigation of the kind ever conducted for this or any other country. The farm families number 4,767,179, of which 65.92 per cent, own their own farm9, and 84.8 per cent, hire, while of the owning families 28.22 per cent, havo encumbrances on their farms and 77.78 per cent, have none. In 1880 25.56 per cent, of the farms were hired. Of the 7,992,973 home families 36.99 per - ? * CO 1A nat> zionf ceni. own iiimr uuuics nuj v?av hire them, wliile of the owalng families 27.70 per cent, own their homes subject to encumbrance and 72.30 per cent. free. In the cities and towns of 8000 to 100,000 population are 1,719,579 home families, of which 85.96 per sent own their homes and 64.04 per cent hire, wnile of the owning families 84.11 per cent, own subject to encumbrance and 65.89 per cent, without encumbrance. In the cities that contain over 100,000 population there are 1,945,834 home families, of whioh 22.83 per cent, own their homes and 77.17 per cent, hire, while of the owning families 37.80 per cent, own subject to encumbrance and 62.20 per cent, free of encumbrance. In those cities New lork has the highest percentage of homo tendency, namely, 93.67; Boston is next, with 81.57 per cent.; Brooklyn third, with 81.41 per cent. Jersey City fourth, with 31.20 per cent., and Cincinnati fifth, with 80.82 per cent. To bring the urban population into contrast with the non-urban population, totals have been obtained for 4,224,560 home families living outside of cities and towns of 8000 people and over, and of these families 43.78 per cent, own their homes, 56.22 per a# *KA 051 HQ UtJLU. II li C, WLLllU Ul bUV V TV uui^ .v,wV per cent, own with encumbrance and 76.91 per cent, own without encumbrance. The 836,957 farm9 subject to encumbrance are worth 83,054,923,165, and the encumbrance Is $1,085,995,960, or 35.55 pqr cent, of the value. The 809,933 homes subject to encumbrance are valued at $2,632,375,904, and the encumbrance is $1,046,953,603, or 89.77 per cent, of the value. The averago value of each owned and encumbered farm is $4444, of encumbered homo $3250. and the average encumbrance on each of tne farms is $1224, on each enoumbered home $1293. The interest charge on the encumbered farms i9 $76,723,077, on encumbered homes $65,182,029. The avorage interest charge on each encumbered farm is $87, on each home $30. Tne average rate of interest on the encumbrance on farms 13 7.07 per cent., on homes 6.23 per cent. In the cities of 8000 to 100,000 population the average value of each owned and encumbered home is $3447; average encumbrance, $1363; average annual interest charged, $SP average rate of interest. 6.29 per cent. In the cities having at least 100,000 popnlation, $5555 represents the average value of onVi ntvnAri And encumbered home. New York has the highest value, namely, $19,200; Ban Franciico Is second, with $7993 ; Brooklyn third, with $7349; Omaha fourth, with $7179, and Washington fifth, with $7054. The annual 1 nterest charged on each owne<l and encumbered home in these cities is $134. The highest amouut being $439, in Now York, and the lowest amount $33, in Louis< vilie. Denver has the highest average r.ite of Interest, namely, 7.87 per cent , and New Orleans la second with 7.86 per cent. New York has the lowest rate, 4.95 cent., and Boston stands next with 5.14 per cent. SIX MEN LYNCHED, Suspected of Barn-Burning, They Are Shot by a Mob. News comes of the lynching of sis colored men two miles west of Millin^ton, Tenn., a village on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. For a year or more the p3ople of that part of the county hava been kept in a coaniut state of excitement by acts of incendiarism. Barns and dwellings have boen burned, ani recently the buildings on the Jlillingtou Fair Grounds were destroyed. Suspicion pointed to Dan Hawkino, Robert Haynes. Warner Williams, EJ. Hall, John Hayes and Graham White, all colored, and they were arrested near Kernville, in the western part oftne county, by DeputySherifl Richardson. Later in J ho day Richardson started with his prisoners in a wagon for Jlillington, where they were to have a preliminary examination before a magistrate. The six were chained together. About midnight, when the party was nearing Millington, it was stopped by a mob of fifty men armed with shotguns, who killed all the prisoners, and then remounting their horses, rode away. The lynchers were not masked, but the officer, being new to that part of the country, recognized none of them. The detective from whom the prisoners were take* and four citizens have been ar< rested, charged with plotting the lynching. ' , - t ; ? } ' ; ' '. J WRECKERS. MEN WHOSE BUSINESS IS RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS. Their Tools Are Powerful Tug Boats, Large Pontoons, Immense Irou Cables and a Massive Derrick. * WHEN a ship sinks some distance from the shore in several fathoms of water, and the -waves conceal her, it may seem impossible to some of our readers that she can ever be floated again; but if she rests upon a firm J 1 11 A. 1 3 II Bauuy uunom, wunout rocss, ana me weather is fair enough for a time to give the wreckers an opportunity, it 1 is even probable that she can be brought into port. In Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk and New Orleans, large firms are established whose special business it is to send assistance to distressed vessels and to save the cargo if the vessels themselves cannot be prevented from becoming total wrecks; and these firms are known as wreckers. When a# vessel is announced to be ashore or sunk, the owners usually apply to the wreckers, and make a bargain with them that they shall receive a certain proportion of her value if they save her, and the wreckers then proceed to the scene of the accident, taking with them powerful tug boats, large pontoons, immense iron cables and a massive derrick. Perhaps only the topmasts of the wreck are visible when they reach it; but even though she is quite out of sight, she is not given up if the sea is calm and the wind favorable. One of the men puts a diving dress over his suit of heavy flannels. The trousers and jacket are made of India rubber cloth, fitting close to the ankles, wrists and across the chest, which is further protected by a breastplate. A copper helmet with a glass face is used for covering the head, and is screwed onto tho breastplate] One end of a coil of strong rubber tubing is attached to the back of the helmet, to the outside of which a running cord is also attached and continued down the side of the dress to the diver's right hand, where he can use it for signaling his assistants when he is beneath the surface. His boots have leaden soles weighing about twenty-eight pounds; and this, with the helmet, is sufficient to allow his descent, four blooks of lead, weighing fifty pounds ara slung over his shoulders, and a waierproof 1 bag containing a hammer, chisel und a dirk-knife is fastened over his breast. He is transferred from the steamer that has brought him from the city to a small boat, which is rowed to a spot over the wreck, and a short iron ladder x xi J ^ * u IB pun over lue Biut), uuwu wuiuu ue steps; and when the last rang is ieaohed he lets go and the water babbles and sparkles over his head as he sinks deeper and deeper. The immersion of the diver is more thrilling to a spectator than it is to him. The rabber coil attached to his helmet at one end is attached at the other to an air-pnmp, which sends him all the breath he needs, and if the sapply is irregalar, a pall at the cord by his right hand secures its adjustment. He is not timid, and he knows that the only thing he has to guard against is nervousness, by which he might lose his presence of mind. The fish dart away from him at a motion of his hand, and even a shark is terrified by the apparition of his strange globular helmet. He is careful not to approach the wreck too suddenly, as the tangled rigging and splinters might twist or break the air pipe and signal line; when his feet touch the bottom he looks behind, before and above him before he advances an inch. It mftv he that ihfi vessel has settled low in the sand, that she is broken in two, or that the hole in her bottom cannot be repaired. But we will suppose that the circumstances are favorable, that the sand is firm and the hull in an easy position. The diver signals to be hauled up, makes his report, and in his next descent he is accompanied by several others, who help him to drag massive chains of iron underneath the ship, at the bow, at the stern and in the middle. This is a tendious and exhausting operation, which sometimes takes many days, and when it is completed the pontoons are towed into position at each side of the ship. The pontoons, simply described, are hollow floats. They are oblong, built of wood, and possess great buoyancy. Some of them are over 100 feet long, eighteen feet wide and fourteen feet deep, but their size and the number of them nsed depend on the length of the vessel that is to be raised. Circular tubes or wells extend through them, and when the chains are secured underneath the ship the ends are inserted in these wells by the divers, and drawn up through them by hydraulic power. The chains thus form a series of loops, like the common swing of the playground, in which the ship rests, and as they are shortened by being drawn up through the wells the ship lifts. The ship lifts if all be well?if the chains do not partorsome other accident occur, but the wreckers need great pationce, and sometimes they see tne labor of weeks undone in a minute. We are presupposing success, however, and instead of sinking or capsizing, the vessel appears above the bubbling water and between the pontoons, which groan and tremble with her weight. As soon as the decks are above water an much of her cargo is removed as is necessary to enable the divers to reach the broken part of the hull, which they patch with boards and canvas if ' - - ? *?*!x r?rI+U iwAn sue IS UUilb U1 nuuu, ut Iiuu nuu plates if she is of iron. This is the most perilous part of the diver's work, as there are so many projections upon which his air-tube may catch; but he finds it almost as easy to ply his hammer and drill in making repairs under water as on shore. The ship is nest pumped out, and borne between the pontoons by powerful tugs to the nearest drydock, where all the damages are finally repaired, and in a month or two she is once more afloat, with nothing to indicate her narrow escape.?Detroit FreeP^eoa, r" : "T v- ; r **' ' * ' Vjftfv ^3fP Beware of Fresh Olives. Eastern visitors in California are always much interested in the olive plantations which in recent years have become a feature of the most southerly counties of the State. The lovers of the succulent fruit when pickled and! bottled for sale iu the East and North are always anxious to taste the olive fresh and ripe. There is a popular impression that it is sweet and delicious, but, like many other popular impressions, this is a delusion and a snare. A few miles south of ban Uiego, where the railroad makes a junction with a small one track road leading into Mexico, a large planter has taken advantage of this delusion for hie own amusement. On the arrival of each train from the North numerous travelers dismount to await the starting of. ' the train across the Mexican border. < For their benefit the planter has nailed a box outside of his fence just across the way from the railroad station which he keeps filled with nice, ripe olives. A placard invites victims ia these words: :' FINE]' FRESH,' RIPE* OLIVES*, *; : FREE. : : HELP YOURSELF. : Of course there is a rush from the station as soon as the box and it con- / tents are discovered, and swarms of innocents seize the pretty fruit and dig their teeth into it. Then there is a combined howl and a great deal of expectoration and disgust, for the delnsive frtiifc are nearlv as DUCkerv as persimmons. And the planter? Oh, he takes his fun, from a partly hidden summer 1 bouse within his grounds, where he occasionally seats himself to enjoy the spectacle. It is a sure cure for the blues, he says.?New York Herald. A "Hen Case." A "hen case" has been exciting a good deal of interest in Maiden, Mass., for several days past, and the principles involved are such as to render the disposition of it of more than ordinary importance. It appears that Wakefield Burgess, who takes an honest pride in his fine fowls and boasts of the number and size of the eggs which they produce, to their own intense satisfaction as well as his, charged his next-door neighbor with having poisoned some of his choice poultry by giving them salt In his defence the neighbor affirmed that he had put salt in uome weeds in his yard in order to kill them, and that Burgess's hens, having no right to cross the boundary fence, nevertheless did so, pecked at the salted plants and so came to their death. Judge Petten(rill's decision must be accepted by every one as masterly. In the first place he laid down the broad general principle that salt is not usually classed as a poison?take notice that he did not rule that it was not and could under no circumstances be a poison?and he followed this up with the contention that the defendant had < a right to use salt in order to destroy weeds; then finally he held that it was through no fault of the defendant that Burgess's hens invaded his grounds and devoured the pickled weeds. Only one conclusion was possible from these premises?a non-suit for Burgess. The hen question has been settled for Maiden and its vicinity by Judge Pettengill's erudite and comprehensive decision, and he has undoubtedly established a number of precedents that will be controlling throughout Massachusetts and possibly in all parts of the country.?New York Tribune. A Remarkable Plant. "Our thoughts of plants and flow* ers are generally pleasant ones, and Some OX llie uearesi menjuries ui unr lives are associated with, their perfume," remarked Dr. H. L. McWillie, of Nashville, as he sat sniffing the odor of a carnation be had just purchased from a little girl in the corridor of the Lindell last evening, "but if I should live to be one hundred years old the thought of a liver plant that it was my misfortune to see and smell on one occasion would be enough to send a shudder over me. Several years ago I was visiting relatives in Missis* sippi, and one day after dinner my cousin asked me to go down on the lawn and see a curious plant that was growing there. "Before we reached the spot I was cautioned to hold my nose, but I felt that such a precaution would be showing the white feather in a physician, so I marched boldly toward the queei plant. The stalk and leaves were of a dull green hue, mottled all over witb black spots. The bash was about twc feet in height, and from the top drooped a flower that looked for ail the world like a tainted piece of raw liver, from which oozed a red juice, falling in bloody spots upon the leaves below. A swarm of green flies hovered over it, and the strong oior which emitted was such as to convince one that some very offensive carrion wbb near at hand. I confess to having been made deathly sick by it, and wished I had taken the friendly advice given to hold my nose."?St. Louis Globe-Democrat. Matter Indestructible. An essential property of matter, but which does not commend itself to superficial observation, like those of extension and resistance, is indestructibility, says Good News. So far as experiment and observation can discover, matter can neither be created nor destroyed. On the surface facts seem to oontraJict this assertion, for any par ticular portion of matter may be de- D composed and resolved into its con* K stituent parts, so that it seems to have H disappeared, because the form under n which we knew it is no longer pres- H ent. mm In reality, however, no diminution Hj in the quantity of existing matter has H taken place. One proof of this is H easily afforded by combustion. If we H allow a piece of wood or coal, or any EB combustible solid body to "burn away" H there will, as we all know, be ashes re- pa maining. If, while the combustion is RS going on, we take means to preserve, not only the ashes but also every part HB of the body which would ordinarily be H dissipated as emoke and steam, and H then weigh all the different substances, H solid, liquid or gaseous, that we have obtained, we shall find the combined H weights equal to the original weight of K the body itself. ; Hj n