The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, February 28, 1912, Image 7

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

I SYNOPSIS. Elam Hamlsh, known all through Alas ka as "Burning Daylight." celebrates his SOth birthday with a crowd of miners at the Circle City TivolL The dance leads to heavy gambling, in which over $100,000 is staked. Harnish loses his money and his mine but wins the mail contract. He starts on his mail trip with dogs and sledge, telling his friends that he will be la the big Yukon gold strike at the start. CHAPTER II.?Continued. "Of course he'll make It." Kearns whispered in Hetties' ear. "And there's five hundred Daylight's back in sixty days," he added aloud. Billy Rawlins closed with the wager, and Bettles hugged Kearns ecstatical ly "By Yupiter, I ban take that bet." Olaf Henderson said, dragging Day light away from Bettles and Kearns. "Winner pays!" Daylight shouted, closing the wager. "And I'm sure go ing to win, and sixty days is a long time between drinks, so I' pay now. Name your brand, you hochinoos! Name your brand!" % Somebody opened the outer door. A vague gray light filtered in. "Burning Daylight, Burning Day light." some one called warningly. Daylight paused for nothing, head ing for the door and pulling down his ear-flaps. Kama stood outside by the sled, a long, narrow affair, sixteen inches wide and seven and a half feet in length, its slatted bottom raised six inches above the steel-shod runners. On it, lashed with thongs of moose hide, were the light canvas bags that contained the mail, and the food and gear for dog3 and men In front of it. in a single line, lay curled five frost-rimmed dogs. They were husk ies. matched In size and color, all un usually large and all gray. From their cruel Jaws to their bushy tails they were as like as peas in their likeness to timber wolves. Wolves they were, domesticated, it was true, but wolves in appearance and in all their charac teristics. On top the sled load, thrust J? <?-- I fni. tm. uuuer llie IdMIlligs auu icau; IVI I mediate use, were two pairs of snow- [ shoes. Daylight was saying good-by to those who clustered around him. The Virgin wanted to kiss him. and. fuddled slightly though he was with the whisky, he saw his way out with out compromising with the apron string. He kissed the Virgin, but he kissed the other three women with equal partiality. He pulled on his \ long mittens, roused the dogs to their feet, and took his place at the gee pole. "Mush, you beauties!" he cried. The animals threw their weights against their breastbands on the In stant. crouching low to the snow and digging in their claws. They whined eagerly, and before the sled had gone half a dozen lengths both Dayilgnt and Kama (in the rear) were running to keep up. And so. running, man and dogs dipped over the bank and down to the frozen bed of the Yukon, and In tbe gray light were gone. On the river, where was a packed trail and wbere snowshoes were unnecessary, the dogs averaged six miles an hour. To keep up with them, the two men were compelled to run. Daylight and Kama relieved each other regularly at the gee-pole, for here was the hard work of steering the flying eled and of keeping in advance of it The man relieved dropped behind the sled, oc casionally leaping upon it and resting. As if through a wall. Daylight had passed from the hum ard roar of the Tivoli into another world?a world of silence and immobility. Nothing stirred. The Yukon slept under a coat of ice three feet thick. The cold snap continued. Only men of iron kept the trail at such low temperatures, and Kama and Day light were picked men of their races. But Kama knew the other was the bet ter man. and thus, at the start, he was himself foredoomed to defeat. Not that he slackened his effort or willing ness by the slightest degree, but that he was beaten by the burden he car ried In his mind. His attitude toward Daylight was worshipful. Stoical, tac iturn, proud of his physical prowess, he found all these qualities incarnated in his white companion. CHAPTER III. At Sixty Mile they rr,~tocked provi sions, added a few pounds of letters to their load, and held steadily on. From Forty Mile they bad unbroken trail, and they could look for ward only to unbroken trail clear to Dyea. Daylight stood it magnificently, but the killing pace was beginning to tell on Kama His pride kept his moutb shut, but' the result of the chilling of his lungs in the cold snap could not be con cealed. They traveled till ten o'clock the nigM they reached Selkirk, and at six next morning they plunged ahead Into the next stretch of wilderness of nearly five hundred miles taat lay be tween Selkirk and Dyea. There was no let-up In his pace. Twelve hours a day. six in the twilight and six In i the dark, they toUed on the trail. Three hours were consumed in cook ing. repairing harnesses, and making and breaking camp, and the remaining nine hours dogs and men slept as if dead. The time came when Kama was un able to go In the lead and break trail. | and it was proof that he was far gone when he permitted Daylight to toil all day at the heavy sr.owshoe wo-'k. l.ake by lake they crossed the string of lakes from Marsh to Lluderman. and began tfce ascent of Chilcoot. By all rights Da> light should have camped below the last pitch of the pass at the ; dim end of Cay: but he kep? on and | over and down to Sheep Camp, while [ behind him raged a snow storm that would have delayed him twenty-four hours. This last excessive strain broke Kama completely. In the morning ne could not travel. At five, when called, he sat up after a struggle, groaned, and sank back again. Daylight did the camp work of both, harnessed the dogs, and, when ready for the start, rolled the helpless Indian in all three sleeping robes and lashed him on top of the sled. The going was good; they were on their last lap; and be raced the dogs down through Dyea canyon and along the hard-packed trail that led to Dyea post And running still, Kama groaning on top the load, and Daylight leaping at the gee-pole to avoid going under the runners of the flying sled, they arrived at Dyea by the sea. True to his promise. Day light did not stop. An hour's time saw the sled loaded with the ingoing mail and grub, fresh dogs harnessed and a fresh Indian engaged. Kama never spoke from the time of his arrival till the moment Daylight, ready to depart, stood beside him to say good-by. They shook H.ands. "You kill urn dat damn Indian," Kama said. "Savvee. Daylight? You kill um." "He'll sure last as far as Pelly." Daylight grinned. K"(?tv.o chrvnlr Me hand HmihtfllllV. and rolled over on his side, turning his back in token of farewell. A crowd filled the Tlvoll?the old crowd that had seen Daylight depart ; A { ? The Time Came When Kama \ two momos ueiore; lur liho waa mw night of the sixtieth day. and opinion was divided as ever as to whether or not be would compass the chleve ment. At ten o'clock bets were still being made, though the odds rose, bet by bet. against his success. Dowr In her heart the Virgin believed he bad failed, yet she made a bet of twenty ounces with Charley Bates, against forty ounces, that Daylight would ar rive before midnight. She it was who beard the first yelps of the "dogs. "Listen!" she cried. "It's Day light!" There was a general stampede for the door: but when the double storm doors were thrown wide open, the crowd fell back. They heard the eager whining of dogs, the snap of a dog whip and the voice of Daylight crying encouragement as the weary animals capped all they had done by dragging the sled in over the wooden floor. They came In with a rush, and with them rushed in the frost, a visible vapor of smoking white, through which theiv heads and backs showed, as they strained In the harness, till they had all the seeming of swimming in a river. Behind them, at the gee pole, came Daylight, hidden to the krif-os by the swirling frost through which he appeared to wade. He was -1.1 ,?!fV.ol loan lilt? ScWiie UiU LJCXJ li&ill, nibuiti iv? and tired-looking, and bis black eyes were sparkling and flashing brighter than ever. Ills parka of cotton drill hooded him like a monk, and fell in straight lines to his knees. Grimed and scorched by camp-smoke and fire, the garment in itself tolc* the story ot his trip. A two-months' heard cov ered his face; and the beard, in turn, was matted with the ice of his breath ing through the long seventy-mile run. He experienced a thrill of surprise as the roar of welcome went up and as every familiar detail of the Tivoli greeted his vision?the long bar and the array of bottles, the gambling iCopyrtght, 1910, by the New York Herald C (Copyright. 1910. by the MacMlllan Con games, the big stove, the weigher at the gold-scales, the musicians, the men and women, the Virgin, Celia, and Nellie, Dan MacDonald. Bettles, r>;i?? 11 ? ? A1? 9 AronTI HnP BUiy nawiiua, vitu n^uuvt mv", Watson?all of them. It was just as he had left It, and In all seeming It might well be the very day he had left The sixty days of Incessant trav el through the white wilderness sud denly telescoped, and had no exis tence in time. They were a moment, an incident He had plunged out and into them through the wall of silence, and back through the wall of silence he had plunged, apparently the next instant, and into the roar and tur moil of the Tivoll. He drew a deep breath and cried: "The winner pays, and I'm the win ner, ain't I? Surge up, you-all Mal? mutes and Siwashes. and name your poison! There's your Dyea mail, straight from Salt Water, and no horn swogglln about it! Cast the lashings adrift, you-all. and wade into it!" A dozen pairs of hands were at the sled-lashlngs, when the young Le Barge Indian, bending at the same^ task, ^ddenly and limply straight ened up. In his eyes was a great sur prise. He stared about him wildly, for the thing he was undergoing was new to him. He was profoundly struck by an unguessed limiiatlon. He shook as with a palsy, and he gave at the knees, slowly sinking down to fall suddenly across Pbe 6led and to know the smashing blow of darkness across Llia tuuotiuuouv/oo. "Exhaustion." said Daylight. "Take him off and put him to bed, some of you-all. He's sure a good Indian." A few minutes later. Daylight was whirling around the dance-floor, waltz ing with the Virgin. And small won der it was that the Virgin yielded her self to his arms, as they danced dance Vas Unable to Go in the Lead. after dance, and sick at heart aj the knowledge that he found nothing tn her more than a good friend and an excellent dancer. Small consolation it was to know that he never loved any woman. She was sick with love of him. and he danced with her as he would dance with any woman, as be would dance with a man who was a good dancer and upon whose arm was tied a handkerchief to conventionalize him Into a woman. At one in the morning he saw Elijah Davis herding Henry Finn and Joe Bars Out Ru Germany's Blow to a Great Trade Seriously Felt on Both Sides of Border. Announcement has been made that the German authorities have Buspena ed the Importation or live geese rrom Russia on the ground that there is a considerable amount of disease preva lent in the frontier districts or that country. Coming, as this prohibition does, im mediately prior to the period when ini nnrts nt live geese increase ranldlv the question Is serious alike to breed J ers in Russia, who will have large I quantities of birds thrown on their j hands; to German goose fatteners. as j they will be unable to fill up their pens, for the home production is total ly Insufficient to meet their require ments, and to housewives In Germany, who will find the already high price of what is an important article or food advance still further and pre ably be prohibitive. Russians s that there is 110 justlticatton lor i regulation, that It is a trade um? 111 the interests ol German dealers t?> lorce down prices and as a measure , j or fiscal protection to German breed | ers. Germany imports annually about j u QNDON v cm of mtwiD: 'a/a/?r/tfjrom m. 1 -J) Company.) ipany. Hines. the lumber-Jack, toward the door. Daylight Interfered. "Where are you-all going?" he de manded, attempting to draw them to the bar. "Bed." Elijah Davis answered. "Got to." Joe Hines added apolo getically. "We're mushing out in the mornin'." Daylight still detained them. "Where to? What's the excite ment?" "No excitement." Elijah explained "We're just a-goin' to play your hunch, an' tackle the Upper Country. Don't you want to come along?" "I sure do." Daylight affirmed. But the question had been put in fun, and Elijah ignored the accept ance. "We're tacklin' the Stewart," he went on. "A1 Mayo told me be seen some likely lookin' bars first time be come down the Stewart, and we're e*r\ I*1? * r\ comnlfl 'om Tl/hUo th? HVPf'S ? U1I1 LU OHUjpiC \*I froze. You listen. Daylight, an' mark my words, the time's comin' when winter dlggin's *11 be all the go. There'll be men in them, days that'll laugh at our summer scratchln' an' ground-wallerin"' Elijah laughed, gathered his two partners up. and was making a second "Hold on." Daylight called. "I sure mean it" The three men turned back sudden ly upon him, in their faces surprise, delight, and incredulity. "G'wan. you're foolin'," said Finn, the other lumber-jack, a quiet, steady. Wisconsin man. "There's my dawgs and sled," Day light answered. "That'll make two teams and halve the loads; though .w'e-all '11 have to travel easy for a spell, for them dawgs is sure tired." The three men were overjoyed, but still a trifle incredulous "Now look here." Joe Hlnes blurted reach the door out. "none of your foolln', Daylight We mean business. Will you come?" Daylight extended his hand and shook. * CHAPTER IV. This time the trail was easier. It was better packed, and they were not carrying mail against time. At Forty Mile they laid over two days for the sake of the dogs, and at Sixty Mile Daylight's team was left with the trader. Unlike Daylight, after the terrible run from Selkirk to Circle, City, they had been unable to recup 1 erate on the back trail. So. the four men pulled on from Sixty Mile with a fresh team of dogs on Daylight's sled. The following night they camped in the cluster of islands at the mouth of the Stewart. Daylight talked town sites, and, though the others laughed at him, he staked the whole maze of high, wooded island. "Just supposing the big strike does come on the Stewart." he argued. "Mebbe you-all 'll be in on it, and then o<ra<n ntphhp VOU-all Won't. But i SUT? will. You-all 'd better reconsider and go in with me on it." But they were stubborn. "You're as bad as Harper and Joe Ladue." said Joe Hines. "They're al ways at that game. You know that big flat jest below the Klondike and j under Moosehide Mountain? Well. | the recorder at Forty Mile was lellin' j me they staked that not a month ago j ?The Harper & Ladue Town Site. Ha! Ha! Ha!" Elijah and Finn Joined in his laugh ter; but Daylight was gravely in earn est. "There she Is!" he cried. "Tbe hunch Is working! It's in the air. I tell you-all! What'd they-all stake the big flat for If they-all didn't get the hunch? Wish I'd staked It." The regret in his voice was provoca tive of a second burst of laughter. "Laugh, dang you, laugh! Why your eyes al."'t open yet. You-all are a buncb of little mewing kittens. I toll vou-all If that strikes come on Klondike, Harper and Ladue will be millionaires. And if it comes on Stew art. you-all watch the Elam Harntsh town site boom. In them days, when you-all come around makin' poor mouths . . He heaved a sigh of resignation. "Well. I suppose I'll have to give you-all a grub-stake or soup, or something or other." (TO BE CONTINUED.) Loud and Soft Pedal. Remember to do your grumbling In a wbisner. Save your megaphone tor praises?tt was invented to advertise good things, anyhow. issian Geese 8.000,000 live geese, of which seven eights come from Russia, where these birds are bred in vast numbers throughout the western and southwest ern governments. They are bought trom the raisers by traveling dealers, who drive them in huge flocks to the frontier stations, where they are en trained ror despatch to Berlin and oth er cities. The cars used for this purpose are built in tour decks, each car holding about 1,200 birds. Special trains are run in the season, consisting of a dozen tu injrijr-uve uis, >u ance with the supply As many as 50.000 geese have been known to ar rive at Magerviebhot market, Uerlin. on a single day.?Westminster 'Ga zette. Didn't Go Crazy Over It. The inhabitants of lone Si. Ivilda tipard the gramophone the other day 'he first time. A steamer belong ' Messrs. McCallura of Glasgow 1 at the island, and it was one passengers, Mr L/Ouis Barbe, nad the distinction or '-akkig the lust gramophone to the Isianri The stolid St. Kildean, however, failed to display the wide-mouthed wonder which was expected of him. V. 'JU y'i.'. li POSTAL SERVICE j SHOWS A PROFIT ; ] First Time in History, According j to Report of Cabinet f Officer. j RAISE IN RATES IS FAVORED ' i ] President Concurs in Recommenda- { tion of Commission on Second- 1 Class Mall Matter?Again Sug gests Adoption of Parcel , Kost system. \ Washington. Feb. 22.?For the first ] time in the history of the postal serv ice that department of the government ( showed a profit for the fiscal year \ ending June 30, 1911, according to the < annual report of Postmaster General ( Hitchcock transmitted to congress to- ( day. Accompanying the document ] was the report of the commission second-clas3 mail matter appointed by Joint resolution of congress on March 4 of last year and a brief message of * the president, in which he called at- 1 tention to the principal features of the ' two reports. 1 Would Increase Second-Class Rates. ' The report of'the commission on 1 second-class mail matter makes the 1 following recommendations: 1 1. The rate of 2 cents/ a pound on ' copies mailed by publishers to sub- ' scribers, to news agents, and as sain- 1 pie copies, and by news agents to their ( subscribers or to other news agents. { 2. The rate of 1 cent for each 4 ] ounces for copies mailed by other ' than publishers and news agents; that 1 Is, the present transient rate. 1 3. The present free-ln-county priv ilege retained, but not extended. The commission also recommended that the cent-a-copy rate for newspa pers other than weeklies and for pe- ' riodicals not exceeding 2 ounces in weight, and the 2-cent-a-copy rater for 1 periodicals exceeding 2 ounces in weight, when mailed at a city letter- i carrier office for local delivery, be abolished. As to the effect and adequacy of the proposed increase of 1 cent a pound in postage the commission says: "Such an increase will not, In the opinion of the commission, bring dis tress upon the publishers of newspa pers and periodicals, or seriously in terfere with the dissemination of use-., ful news or information. A reasonable time should be allowed, after the rate is fixed, before it is put into effect. Wtoile the new rate will be very far from compensating the government for the carriage and handling of sec ond-class matter, it will to some ex tent relieve the existing burden and result in a more equitable 'adjustment or rates. Both the president and the postmas- , ter general concur In the recommenda tions and regarding the proposed in crease In newspaper postage the presi dent says: 'The proposed increase of 1 cent a pound hi the second-class postage rate, I believe, to be most reasonable, and if sufficient time Is al lowed before the change goes into ef fect it should work little serious in jury to the business of the periodical publishers, while equalizing, at least in a measure, the burdens of postal taxation." Rates Should Be More Equal. Commenting further on the pro posed increase, the president says: "The postal service is now, for the first time in years, operated upon a self-sustaining basis, and in my judg ment this Is a wise policy; but it should not be carried out at the ex pense of certain classes of mall mat ter that pay revenue largely In ex cess of their cost. It Is not just that some classes of mail should be ex orbitantly taxed to meet a deficiency caused by other cfasses, the revenue from which is much T>eIow their cost of handling and carriage. Where such inequalities exist they should be re moved as early as practicable. The business enterprises of the publishers of periodicals, however, have been built up on the basis of the present second-class rate, and therefore It would be manifestly unfair to put into Immediate effect a large increase In postage. That newspapers and maga-u zines hive been potent agencies for the dissemination of public lntelll gence and have consequently borne a worthy part in the development of the country all must admit; but it is like wise true tliat the original purpose of congress in providing for them a sub vention by way of nominal postal charges in consideration of their ' J nnKllo Informs value as mcumuia ui tion ought not to prevent an increase, because they are now not only educa tional but highly profitable. There is no warrant for the great disparity be tween existing postage rates on pe riodicals and the cost of the service the government performs for them. The aggregate postal revenues for the fiscal year 1911 were $237,879,823.60, derived mainly ?from the postage qol lected on the four classes of mail matter. It is carefully estimated by the postofflce department that the revenue derived from mail matter of the first class is approximately one and one-half times the cost of han dling and carriage; that the returns from third and fourth class matter are j slightly In excess of their cost or handling and carriage; and that while second-class matter embraces over 05 per cent, of the entire weight of all the mail carried, it, neverthelesss, yields little more than 5 per cent, of the postal revenues." The commission on second-class Names From Dickens' Characters. Although Dickens is commemorated In street names abroad there is no street named after him in London. But there is a near approach to it !n Copperfield road. Stepney, not far !rom the People's Palace, and to prove hat this was inspired by "David Cop jorfleld," we find a Dora street and an Vgnes street in close proximity. Petroleum Known to Egyptians, Ages before the Roman empire pe troleum was used by the Egyptians. . mall matter^consisted of Hon. Chariea E. Hughes, associate Justice of the 3upreme Court of the United States; President A. Lawrence Lowell of Har vard University, and Mr. Harry A. SVheeler, president of the Association if Commerce of the city of Chicago. In commenting on their findings the president says: "The report discloses a most ex laustlve and critical inquiry into the jubject of second-class mail matter ifter adequate notice to all the par ses In interest. Extensive hearings were held by the commission, at which :he Postmaster General and the Sec ond and Third Assistant Postmasters General appeared and submitted for mal statements presenting the various :ontentlons of the Post Office depart ment, together with all the relevant sfflcial data and evidence relating to the cost of handling and transporting second-class mall matter. Certain of the leading magazlAs were represent ed by counsel, while various other pub icationa appeared by representatives. "The findings of the commission jonfirm the view that the coat of handling and transporting second :lass mail matter is greatly In excess }f the postage paid, and that an In crease in the rate is not only justified by the facts, but Is desirable." Cost Inquired Into. "The commission reports that the evidence submitted for its considera :lon is sufficient to warrant a finding 3f the approximate cost of handling ind transporting the several classes 5f second-class mail known as paid at-the-pound-rate, free-ln-county, and transient matter, in so far as relates to the services of transportation, post office cars, railway distribution, rural ielivery, and certain other .Items of :ost, but that it Is without adequate data to determine the cost of the gen aral post-office service and also what portion of the cost of certain other aggregate services is properly assign able to second-class mail matter. It flnds that in the fiscal year 1908, the period for which the statistics for.the rOflt orace jjepajimeni. were turn* piled, the coat of handling and trans porting second-class mail, in the items Df transportation, post-offlce cars, rail way distribution, rural delivery, and certain miscellaneous charges, was ap proximately 6 cents a pound for paid at-the-pound-rate matter, and for free in-county and transient matter each approximately 5 cents a pound, and that upon this basis, as modified by subsequent reductions in the cost of railroad transportation, the cost of paid-at-the-pound-rate matter, for the services mentioned, is now approxi mately 5% cents a poupd. while the cost of free-ln-county and' transient matter remains as formerly, namely, each at approximately 5 centa a. pound. The commission suggests that the department "maintain an adequate cost system, so that the effect of the new rates may be closely observed and a proper basis may be secured for the consideration of any future proposals." President Taft again concurs In the' reaommendation of the Postmaster Geperal for the adoptiqn of a parcel post system, suggesting the inaugura tion of such a service on rural routes and in the city delivery service first. ui- _# TaUnrinh Dnnnucd. iuwncrariip vi >- -3 u r -. .rr. Hitchcock's recommendation for government ownership of the tele graph lines under the supervision of the postal service Is not approved of by the president. Regarding this he sav?: "There is only one recommendation In which I can not agree?that is one which recommends that the telegraph lines in the United States should be made a part of the postal system and operated In conjunction with the mail system. This presents a question of government ownership of public utili ties which are now being conducted by private enterprise under franchises from the government I believe that the true principle Is that private en terprise should be permitted to carry on such public utilities under due regu lation as to rates by proper authority rather than that the government should itself conduct them. This prin " 1 T ^^ nAf + V? InV ft clpie i lavor oecauae 1 UU IIUl kutuit *? in accordance with the best public ppl Icy thus greatly to Increase the body of public servants. Of course, If It could be shown that telegraph service could be furnished to the public at a less price than It Is now furnished to the public by telegraph companies, and with equal efficiency, the argu ment might be a strong one in favor of the adoption of the proposition. But I am not satisfied from any evidence that if these properties were taken over by the government they could be managed any more eoonomically or any more efficiently or that this'would enable the government to furnish serv ice at any smaller rate than the pub lic are now required to pay by private companies." The report of the Postmaster Gen eral Is full of statements of changes in the organization and methods of the postal service made since the last an nual report, and of tentative drafts of legislation embodying certain recom mendations of the department which need legislation to carry them out. It also calls attention to ine ia<;r iu?i the revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911, amounted to $237,879, 823.60 and that the expenditures amounted to $237,660,705.48, making a surplus of $219,118.12. The report shows that the postal savings system was begun experimen tally in January, 1911, tnd that It has now been extended so as to include 7,500 presidential post offices, which includes practically all of the post offices of that class. Preparations are also being made to establish the sys tem at about 40.000 fourth-class offices. The deposits in'll months have reach ed a total of $11,000,000, distributed among 2,710 national and state banks. Less Cost and Troubre. The average man is more ready to lend his ears to a hard luck story than to lend a hand. But Less Valuable in Life. It is much more easy to win ap platise by skill, in games than by abil ity in more valuable pursuits. Woman's Best Work. As a rule women's best work lp. done by influencing man, and not by competing with him. B T rJVITATION MEANS THAT THE ' -# MINISTER HAS VIRTUALLY BEEN REPUDIATED. VISIT WILL BE FRIENDLY The Secretary Announces That He y&g / Has Changed Hi* Plana?He is Pro ..ft, ceeding Direct to Colon?All These _ ' Countries Are Friendly. " Washington.?Colombia virtually re pudiated the action of its minister^; General Ospina, sending through Am- ? erican Minister Dubois, at Bogota, a cordial invitation to Secretary Knox ; ' to visit Colombian shores on his preif ent trip to the republics of the Car- j|gj ribean sea. The invitation was for- , warded promptly to Secretary Knox who is aboard the cruiser Washington. VI on his way south. With him rests wtt decision whether he will change itenerary to include a call to the port of Cartagena. This, it is accepted V" here, he undoubtedly will do. The action of the Colombian For*' .V eign Office was received rhere witl* i; satisfaction. It closes a disagreeable incident. Minister Ospina, who Is dap. clared to have been recalled becaase^' of his letter to the State Department* protested against the proposed visit ot ' Secretary Knox because of the feeling ; in Colombia against the United States -3 said to be attributable to the acgtjisi- - <' tion by this country of the Panama j canal zone. 1 ;. Acting Secretary of State Hunting- $81 ton Wilson did not disguise his ap preciation of Colombia's decision.to. welcome his chief.r VT'rC "The messaged," he said, "that have- J been received from the various repree-; entatives of the countries of the Car ibbean region, are characterized. bjfv*'! a uniform warmth of welcome. All see; * in the proposed, visit an evidence of friendship and the opportunity for better acquaintance and the establish ment of more intimate relations with the United States. ' I. ' May Explain Mysterious Death.' New York.?Mystery in the deaths . of eight children and the illness of four pther infants in the t Brooklyn.' nursery and infants hospital was, ex- '^; pected to be solved by a chemical 1 analysis of the contents of the stom achs of two of the dead children; An V. irritant poison, believed to he oxalyic . * acid mixed with lihie water and milk was indicated as death agent by an . ' ) autopsy. All of the poisone<J babies were in one ward. There' are only f - f four children in the ward who have .i7^ not shown symptoms of poisoning. ^ physicians scout the idea that thV ,j| children suffered from any disease of which they were not cognizant. Q8| . . y i Receiver For Big Lumber Company. ;1 i Philadelphia. ? Claiming that the arm was organized to defraud the public and that it is insolvent, four ' stockholders of the International Lumber and Development Company . - with offices In this city, petitioned &jj for the appointment of a receiver. The ; ^ corporation was chartered under the laws of Delaware and has a <ppital, of $6,0000,000. It was organized for the development of timber and agri cultural lands in Mexico, Buried Alive for Seventy-Four Hour*. Sabot Island, Va.?Burled alive for seventy-four hours, Smith Moss, a ne gro well digger, was rescued from a cave-in shaft here. When brought to the surafce the first object that met v Moss' gaze was a coffin, which had . i been brought by the rescue party for V ^ the reception by the rescue party for v thing away," said Moss indignantly, U Eight Bodies Taken From Mine. McAlister, Okla.?According to re- " portp of the .state mine inspector's of fice here from Lehigh, Okla., eight bodies had been taken from mine No. 1 . 5 of the Western Coal and Mining Company in which a fire broke out imprisoning 15 to 20 miners| Only on? man still remains unaccounted for and it is feared he is dead. May Confiscate Decayed Corn. St. Louis.?The National Grain Dealers' Association met here to dis cuss what action shall be taken in view of the suggestion of Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, chemist, regarding the con fiscation of decaying grain. The grain men will urge the government to declare exempt rrora tne iooa ana drug act all products of the soil in their raw state. Such a decision would prevent the bureau of chemistry from going into the grain inspection busi ness and carrying out the conflsca- 1 tion of shipments. Date of Trial of Dynamiters. Indianapolis, Ind. ? Arrangements were completed for the arraignment on March 12 of the men indicted in the dynamite conspiracy cases. Dis trict Attorney Miller said 48 of the -54 defendants would enter pleas in answer to the 32 indictments. Frank M. Ryan, president of the internation al association of bridge and structural iron workers, said he would remain in Indianapolis to consult daily with the iron workers' attorneys in preparation " ? a fViA lor nis ueieuse aim me ucicu other indicted union officials. BiLterly Attacks The Pension Bill. Washington.?In an attack on pri vate pension bills pending in the house Representative Rodenberry, of Geor gia, democrat, declared that the Sher wood iervice pension bill as it pussed the house sometime ago had been loatted down with "graft, steal, injus tice and privilege." "The house took the leadership away from the com mittee that reported that bill and loaded if down as a republican con gress never would have done," assert ed Mr. Rodenberry.