V
t_
VOL. XII.
25 Dir IN A FIRE
It Was in a Sadly Fatal Tenement
House.
FEARFUL HOLOCAUST OCCURRED
A Dcspctalf St ruffle .Mnde bv the
Victims. tilt" Mont ot \\ liom Werp
Kalians
X w York. Sporlal. Twenty-one
tree. ree women and a ten-months< !(!
l.ahe were burned to death or sufi(
en ted in a Are that started early Suuriv
morning in the House of All Nat'ens.
a five-story tenement at No. 42G
F/< \ enth avenue, and whieh the police
n;..1 coroner believe to be of incendiary
? -ifiin.
?ou.e nf the peculiar features of the
iFv.lrr. in addition to the startling
h ; r>f life, are that the fire was prac- ,
tiixily extinguished in 20 minutes; that
t: j- di e could learn of but one. per- '
-on h"ing injured, other than those
who los< their lives, and that tiie prop- |
city h\"s e ts only $7,000. The dead are
n;ostl> Italians.
The only perron injured, so far as
< ;,n leirncd. is Mnrv -lane (Jtt'.nn IT
ye;11*5 old. who was burned about the
I'm and hands by leaping from the
-i < ..id door 'lro es'tipe to the ground.
1 i several apartments Hallowe'en parlies
were- in progrt* s and the guests at
th< - addel greatly to the uuniber of
in ; sons in the hour" an 1 made the
?ii h ::ad jam to esipe more than it
0 dinorl'.y would have lui n. Although
'fully piovnbd with Are ? vape,
fiom in 1 rear, all e :?po lu re was eut
of a f?.- minutes 'fir - tp.. fire started
i'V i ie hodir: of the dead b.o filing
v. eel r I in Urn o;m nln 's leaning to (lie
I: ' The live had heen burning for .
i. " e minutes 1m for" :t v. a disi overed. .
It i ; ! start d in the basement and. I
* v. r.vv.ird had attael d the rtnirv..;
h atl'i:;; to the apartments. In a
' () anace of til the 11 a tries bad so
t (he si airway U: at uxors
fio . the bull ling was impossible. The
1 i- e from the third to the tilth floor
n .; in ly ilealroye 1.
V the windows, front and rear.
' '. ?s of men ;.nJ women were jnni
i. 'iinvin,' that a desperate strug- |
. t.' t fr < had resulted in the torn- :
p'.i ? (I: oh lug of tliese exits to the flro j
a: ?. and had heen the eause of a
it i of the inmates being surfoeati.y.ag
on a lie 1 alongside a window
*t t .e rear of the fourth floor, the fire- I
i :< a i.-, in 1 the bodies of five mi n. I'a h
! 1 f lu'rhed i'.i one next to hint in
* i.-tvor to push hint away in on!or
it- _ , to tint Are escape outside. The i
i a ; .OS of tho men were distorted.
? :: with rare, some with agony, and
i :-i.i insinnn s the nun had gripped '
a i f. a r ro liar I that blool had been
- a a md had run over their hands. I
<'.a ILo third lloor were found the |
- "i of Mauht'i Vingiuorro and her
!>..! y. The n other had crawled to tho
i a window and had succeeded in |
, -ping the sill when she was suf- j
l> nu d. In her arms lay the body of i
i. . c iiiId. On tlie third lloor in an
. 1 i.nirnt were a Hallowe'en party was .
! v* hdd. John O'Toole, one of the '
>. epulis, started to go to the street. |
l!> was -4101 by a volume of smoke as
I;,- opened the door. He ran to the fire 1
r.irape. followed by all those in the fiat. I
with the exception of his mother whose j
c tarred body later was found lying at |
ih? rnlranec to the apartment. O'Toole
: d rho others escaped.
Surplus Exhausted.
Washington, Special.? A significant j
fact noted in the Treasury statomrnt
at "the dose of business Saturday. It
is thel the receipts and expenditures
of t he government f >r the first four
months of tho present calendar year
ar" practically the same, the surplus
la ing fo small ns to he only a fraction
>f iho aggregate. One year ago. the
surplti? for the same months of the
fiscal year was Sid.500.000. Tho total 1
receipts for the fiscal year have been
ibout f 190.397.285, and the expendituies
S'SO.811.007. leaving a surplus of about
$.>V>.000. An analysis of the statement
shows that the practical wiping out of
the surplus is due not only to a de- i
crease of the receipts, hut also to a?
in'-reise of expenditures.
N'-ws of thj Day.
N*i ' .mcvican schooner. Captain C. E. j
Williams. arrived in Jacksonville Frl- i
day. with Captain Carlson and seven I
lneinoers of the ctc\v of the schooner, !
th in, which was abandoned at son on
the morning of October 2t5.
The Japanese Minisn r to the United
S,nt? x denies that the Japanese Consal
who is alleged to have promoted
the cause of the Filipinos acted with
the approval or knowledge of his Government.
Viceroy Alexieff was thought tu
imvi instigated an article In a Port
Arthur newspaper saying that Hussions
would remain in Manchuria.
The Dampskibsselskahet TQpllus
has lost the suit which was recently
instituted against it in North Carolina.
The Dampskihsselskabet Is not
an infernal machine, nor i a the alphabet
"pled." It Is simply an inoffensive
hoat reeklesssly if not criminally
named by its owners.
The largest number of women employees
in any line of work are In
the t nil d States por.tofP.ee department
More than one-third of them
ore t middle age and some are past
si'.iejj They (ill all kinds of posii'
i v<many of the rural free dtliv
r r u.c r, hc'ng filled by them.
FOJ
MURDERER A SUICIDE
Slayer of His Sister Cuts Mis Own
'I hront in tin- Jail.
Allcntown, Pa.. Special.?Thomas
Bechtel. who was held awaiting investigation
of the murder of his lister.
Mabel H. Bechtel. at their home a few
days ago. committed suicide Thursday
evening in his cell at the central police
station. The police cor.si icr this act
as a practical acknowledgement of
Bechtcl's guilt. Bechtel was in cell
No. it, on the right side of the corridor.
Several relatives and friends were admitted
to him during the afternoon.
About I o'clock lie called aecross the
corridor to Alfred Eestein. Miss Boeh
tel's afllanced lover, who is also hold
pending the coroner's inquest: "Hello.
Al. are you there "
"Yes", answered Eckstein.
T3eclitel responded: "I wish you
were here with me now, that wo might
die together."
These were the last words heard 1
from Heohtol. A shert time later Eckstein
called llcclitel and got no answer,
hut he thought he heard an unusual
gurgle. II.?us" Sergeant Frank G.
Roth had lieen through the cells only
z. short titno before.
A quarter past o'clock he entered
the eotridor and culTed both men. G t 1
ting no answer from Reehtcl lie looked '
into l is <ill and was appalled to S"e
a stream of 1?!o >:1 running over the cell
floor. Reehtcl iv.d laid himself on the
bench in his ( ell and cut his thr tat
with a knife. He was dead when Pound.
The knife ia_. near him on the floor.
How he got the knife is not known.
Tnt< rise excitement prevailed at police j
headquarters. Reuse crowds pressed
against the windows and doors and
filled the r r< ct for half a block each
way. The funeral of the murdered girl
took pin e Thursday afternoon, the
services being held at her late home. A
steady stream of people entered tTit
house an ! filed past the casket contain
it'K tno Doily until the serviees began
at 2 o'clock.
The sui' iiio or Thomas lhehtel ha'b??n
followed by the police officials
telling the story of the munlcr of Miss
Prehtel as gathered by theni. It starts
with last Thursday, when I'eltstein ne- '
eontpnnied Miss Rechtel to Philadelphia.
He lofi her there and returned
home Weisenhe "g met her in Philadelphia
and accompanied her to Allentown.
Th?y went to a certain place togrihcr.
where they remained until ml Inirhl.
Thomas Peehtel heard of this,
and being strenuously opposed to
WYi.sen berg. he upbraided her in her
room upon her return home. lie
struck her a powerful blow on the
cheek, causing her to fall heavily
against a bureau, dead. Members of
the family held a council and decided
upon the story made public on Tuesday
and upon, the disposition of the l? ly
and clothing as found. Charh s Tlechtol'x
sister's hatchet was used in strik- }
ing the blow on the head of the dead
?rii*l to Rive semblance of the assault.
Eckstein know nothing of the mur- j
der. the police say.
Information, charging murder. Ins
been lodged against the entire Rechtel
family. John and Charles Ecchtel
and Eckstein wore committted to jail
In default of $.">00 hail each as witnesses.
Mrs. IJeclitrl and daughters
were allowed to go. no hail being required.
At tlie inqu-st several witnesses
were heard, hut counsel for the
Reehtels refused to allow them to t?sti- i
fy on account of the charge of murder
against them.
Sjo.ooo For Breack of I'roniis*.
Grand Rapids. Mich., Special.?Miss
Henrietta Adams, of Cascvllle. Mich.,
was given a verdict of $:'.0,00'< against
Robert Stuart Raker, a well-known
young society man of this city, for
breach of promise. The trial hn.s been i
one of the most sensational in the his- >
tory of western Michigan. The romance |
which led up to Baker's proposing j
marriage to the young woman, began j
when both were students at Olivet
College. Several hundred letters written
to Miss Adams by (laker, were read
in court, and a number from the young
women to the defendant were also introduced
as evidence. Raker's letters
were, many of them, very sensational
and improper. The jury decided that
Raker fraudulently made the contra t
of marriage with the purpose of seduction,
and that he afterwards ratified it
With the same purpose.
Two Negroes H inged.
...... ivin-, .aict. special.?Jim |
Chambers and Lou Shaw, negroes,
were hanged here Friday for the
murder of Williamson Champion, an
other negro in March Inst. Sale Ar
rington. an accomplice, turned State's
evidence and was released. The hanging
was in public, ami the military
was used to help preserve order.
Knoxville & Ohio Railroad.
Knoxville, Tenn.. Special.?The
Knoxville & Ohio Railroad Company
recorded here Friday a 50-year mortgage
for 5.1.000.000. in favor of the
North American Trust. Company, of
New York. The money is to be used
in refunding $2,000,000 worth of first
mortgage bonds and In improvements.
Peace Sentiment Prevails
Pekin. by Cable.?The Chinese :nin
Inter at St. Petersburg, telegraphs
that while the war party has beer
dominant for a long time, lie believe1
a p. ace sentiment is beginning tc
prevail.
IT MILL, S. C., WEDN
GORMAN ENDORSED.!
I
1
liis Views On the Pace Question '
Elaborated.
JONES SAYS tlE MADE NO MISTAKE
|
A Vital Question That flust l?e
Settled Sooner or Later?The
Country Anxious.
Washington. Spc-ial. Ex-Senator |
James K. Jones, chairman of the Idem- |
oorxiir national er.oeuUve committeeo.
expressed his approval of the action
of Senator Gorman in making the race
issue the paramount (pupation in the
Maryland campaign. In speaking of j
the subject. Mr. Jcuea said: "I think :
that Senator Herman and his asso- !
(dates who are Interested in Democra-i
tic success in the Maryland camnaien
!
made no mistake in Riving prominence j
to the race question, as distinguished
by attitudes between tin* two parties.
Mr. Connan is perfectly right in assuming
that ,he rr.ee question ;s one of
the m< st important before tlic people
of tltis country at this time. It is a
vital que tion and must, sooner or ;
later, he settled far all time. The j
iJrmor'ntic party, tv carding to reports '
which I have received from Democratic '
fiicnds and advisers there, ei rtainly '
has the better hand of the situation tip j
to this time. 1 tliink the country at
large is anxious for a verdict up u the
proposition, and the sooner it is r.ubmittf
d to tha whole vote the better, j
For the Democrats of Marylun 1 to win
next week, will, of ( onrse. give an Impetus
to thP matter all over the nation, j
? ,
- ? .ii ui'i:iar, n will not he
1-Rg in coming forth. The fut-l thai !
tin* question has lt.cn pass. <1 forward
in tiio Maryland campaign means. of
cours. . tiiat the issue will figure tin
(iin.siih rable exteut in tin* national
campaign next year. It will certainly
lie River, prominence then, when the
Republican and Democratic candidal* s
are brought before the people for a
selection. I believe that the sentiment j
of the country is opposed to negro ?
domination and that no reasonably j
minded person believed in equality be- j
twien, or the amalgamation of. the:
rat t s. The white man was born to
rule, and it shall evi r be tinis. There |
ran he no other outcome. I think the j
State of Maryland will vindicate the
Democrat, policy upen this question.
This, in my opinion, will be followed
by a general in ior.s meat from the
countiy at large.
"For Mr. Gorman and his fellow- I
Democrats to win in the light in
Maryland next week." continued Mr. '
Jones, "will, of course, serve to a 1 l
prestige to the probability of the Mary- |
land Senator's choice for the Demo- j
crrttic presidential candidate next summer.
No other logical outcome could j
be expected.
"At present I do not believe, however
in deciding; upon a man for tin
nomination. Let us get our national i
platform together first. and then
choose a man to tit that platform. Mr. t
Gorman, it is needless for ino to I
is in every way qualified for the office.
Yet 1 do not think it wise at this time
for Democrats to fix upon a candidate.
It should he a case of the best man for*
the platform, and no attempt should
he made at this early day to arrive .it
any conclusion as to a candidate."
Senator Jones returned to the city
from a \isi tto New York. In discussing
the mayoralty situation tluro. he
said: "ll looks as though McClellan
would win. 1 talked with same of the
Democratic leaders of the city, an ! all :
appeared eonfident of winning out. The j
Tammany organization appears to he j
superb. It is rccoganizod that there
will he some disaffection in Ilroaklyn. i
owing to the repudiation of Hugh McLaughlin
by the Tammany people, but
from what I could gather the MvOnrren
forces there who stick by the Tammany
ticket, are in great shape, and
the Mclaughlin desertion is being
minimized in importance as election
day draws near. Krom what I observed
of the situation McClclIan certainly appears
to he the wiuuer."
Tribute to Mrs. I'noth-Tucker.
Chicago, Special.?Suvroii'.-ded by 3.000
Salvation Army mourners, who had
gathered at Princess Ilink Friday
night to pay tribute to the memory of
Mrs. Emma Uooth-Tueker. who war.
killed in a railroad wreck last Wednesday
night. Commander Booth-Tucker,
It* a sermon full of pathos, told of the
many good deeds performed by the
deajl leader. While speaking the husband.
grief-stricken and weeping, stood
at. th? head of the casket. At the conclusion
of the ceremonies the casket,
containing the body was removed to
the Pennsylvania depot and will be
taken to New York.
Nut Growers Meet.
New Orleans. Special.?The National
Association of Nut Growers elected
the following officers: President,
G. M. Bacon. DcWitt. Ga.; first vice
president. Wm. Nelson, New Orleans,
second vice president, J. B. Curtis.
Orange Heights. Fla.; secretary-treasurer.
J. F. Wilson, Georgia. St. Louis
was chosen for the next place of meat
ing.
KSDAV. N') . l.M
BECHTEE TRAGEDY.
The Mother's Story Believed tc Be
Invention.
POSSIBLE hi:SILT OF FAMILY ROW.
Police I iiul Blood Stains on Walla i>l
Her Brother's Room and Also His
Bloody <)> era'ls.
AlU'iitown. I'a.. Spooial. With I'avid
WeisenLorK under $>00 bail, supplied
by t'onjtrr. '.mini lvl!m? :m t u iii. I
Hcchtcl. her brother, ami an 1 Alfred
Eckstein, her acoredite lover, locked
up in a? police station cell, the Allentown
police are resting in their work
on the Mabel 11. Mechtol murder rasa
of Tuesday morning;, until Coroner
Schlerer's jury meets tomorrow evening.
The mystery is still practically i
unsolved, except that indications point I
to a family row in which Eckstein may !
have figured, as lie admits he was at
Miss licchtel's home on Monday evening
for an" hour ami a half. Becrar.sc
Mrs. Uecht'l hau said her daughter
left for a drive on Monday at 0 a. m.. |
efforts were irado to trace the girl's
movements away from home. Unmors
that she was at a road liou.se near tliia
city were found to be groundless and
the police do not believe the girl was
away from hotuo at all on Monday.
Iler brothers. Thomas. John and Chan.
say tluy di I not si e her on thnt ii:\y
and so also says lier sister Martha.
Martha usually slept with her widowed
mother 'n the second floor, roar
n um. Thonir. ; o< v.-pled the tni'hllo
room anil John and Charles the front
room. In tin latter the police today,
on thorough search, found blood stains
on the carpet and on the wall paper,
and it looked as if viperous efforts hud
been n:a ! to wipe them out. Thomas'
1 loody ovi rails v.ere found this aftern
i in a m lahhor's yard. In a drawer
i : a eh ?t in the thlrrl story was found
part of Charles' hatchet, sueh as .slaters
use in rdate root, bcius his trade.
The reuit inder of the tools were found
in another drawer. The break in the
handle looks new and fresh.
The police this afternoon put the mtire
lleciitel family, exi pt the mother
under thorouj.h t >'nination. All deny
any knowledge of how Mahol eame to
her death or who 'plan d her he>dy In
the allej way undi r tiie home on Tuesday
mosninR. The mother was not
called heeaus: of her hystericf l run(iition.
Kckstein was Mi.-s Rei htel's accepted i
lover, thouyh she also received altea '
ttons from Weisenberj?. ICckstein and
the ftirl were to have been married or
November but the date war. recently
postpone! until Christmas. They ban i
frequent quarrels over We'.sen berg a
attentions. Eckstein being jealous ?>!
bi n. He had expressed threats to fiev- 1
oral persons that he would kill lK?th. It
is s rid he occasionally beat Miss He h |
tel sevtrely.
The Heehtel family sided with Kek
stria. Weisenhcrg was not allowed t< !
enter the Reehtel home.
Hoiiee Sergeant Kuauss returned to j
AHentown from New York today wit) |
We'.sen berg. The latter gave a da
tailed statement of his movements
since Sunday which are corroborated
fidly. lie had not seen the girl since
Sunday evening, when he met her by
appointment o i <me street corner when
she had just left Eckstein at the next
corner. The police incline to the brief
tnat the pirl was not away from
home on Monday; that a family row
occurred over the girls s>. .tposed duplicity
to Eckstein, and her attachment
for Weisenberg: that a blow war
struck in anger which may have been
more severe than was intended, and
that the mother's story i? an invention.
News Notes.
Ti'p run on !* ? r'.t l .mils linn',
si!.! to hn nv( v.
Twelve sticks of flviiamit \ don^ uj
in (wo packages, \vi?!? fuses attached
r.l! ir-ndy to light. were found concealed
in the lavatory of the inter-urban depot
in St'Jtth*. Wash. The e wi re
enough of t!i" e-x phis've to have blown
up oil tlm bu ill in.*.'.; within a radius of
blocks and t:? damage jiropcrty for a
distance of ten blocks from the depot.
Wm. Fai r. of Tennessee, who was Indicted
in Nashville, was arrested In
Washington yesterday by the p -stofT.r.
Inspectors, on a warrant charging him
with using the mails for fraudulent
purposes.
The Sf.irek of the police for the niur
den r of Fagatel Sagouni. president o
the Armenian Revolutionary Socicti
in I.or.d r.. who was shot an ! killed 1>\
an unknown ro- ri-sin in t? ?? suburb ol
Nunhrnd. late .Monday evening, has
he.cu futilf up to noon Wednesday.
Charged with having be. n member:
of a hand of wh'tfc cappers, v.hi h i
il'cged to have whipped n< : or an.
burned negroes' houst i In Pike county 1
-i < white men huve been arrested a'
l.indwood, l.y Failed States authorities.
Four perrd" we killed in a v. i e ,
at. Ilctsca. . itj, If. C., V?"< d:v lay.
i,1903.
THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION.
President Sets Apart l.ast Thursday
in November.
Washington. Special.? The President
Saturday issued his annual Thanksgiving
proclamation, in the following
terms:
My the Pirs':.!?>nt of the United States
cf America \ Proclamation:
The season is at hand when, according
to the custom of or.r people, it falls t
upon the Pri - i 1 lit to appoint a day or |
prn sc and thank: giving to (Jod.
Paring the 1 year the i.ord has ]
n< alt hottntifully wifh ns. giving us
peace at home end abroad and the |
(banco for our citizens to work for I
their welfare unhlnder <1 by war. fatn- !
ine or plague. It behooves us n??t only i
to rejoice if resit l\ Pri-mito of wHnt Ion. I
been given us. 1-ut (i? accept it with a :
solemn sense of responsibility. realiz- 1
in? that under heaven it rests with us '
ourselves to show that we are worthy j
to use aright what has thus been en- I
trusted to our rare-. In no other place
and at no either time* has the experiment
of government of the people, by
the people, for the people, lie eat tireel
em so vast n scale as he-re in our oun
re-entry in the opening years e>f the
twentieth century. Failure would ue>t
only he- n un-aelful thing for us. hut a
<' 1ea-lfnI thing for all nianklnel. bemuser ;
it would nu-an loss eif hope for all who '
bclb-ve in the power and the righteous- i
n : v of 1 ih< i ty. Therefore, in thanking
God for the mercies rxtondeel tei us ill
the past we beseech liini tlint lie may
not withhold tinm in the future, and
thai our he-arts may he roused tei war
ten IfaMlv feir rood and against all the
t( te-os eif evil, public and private. We
pray f-it- strength. and light, so that in
ill? < timing ve ?rs we may with e-h anllnr.-;s.
fearlessness and wisdom, do our
Allotted work on the earth in such
IUOMM r tis to show that we are not altogether
unworthy of the- blessings we
h.i\ o r< reived.
Tb've.fore*. 1 Theodore Roosevelt.
Fr; si-1 nt of tin- Uiiit"d States, elo here|i;
designate as a day of general
thanksgiving Thursday, the IStli of the
corning November. and do recommend ,
that throughout the- land the people
< a freun their v.-emte"! occupations
and in their several hot nnel places
in wcvsirp rcuii't inntiKs unto ai- ;
mighty <;? ?! for His manifold mercies.
la whereof I linve herouot i
f.i I try hand aatl ? rmsed tlto seal at" the ,
I tii;? .1 St: 1't.> Ik- affixed.
Done at the City of Washlngtan, that.
31st day of October, ia the year of our
I e.r I one thou. .tn.d, n'n hundred ttti 1
tl roe ami of the independence of tiie
I'riitod States the one hundred anil
twenty-eighth.
T11 KOIH ill! : ROOSKVKI.T.
Hv the President:
,1()HN HAY, Secretary of State.
Killed in Collision.
Indianapolis, 1ml.. Special. ? Fifteen j
persons were killed ami over f?0 injured.
r;?!ic fatally. Saturday motning hy i
a collision between .i special passenger i
train on the Rig l?*our Railroad and a
fr< ight engin drawing coal ears. The
accident happened in the edge of this
city. The passenger train ef twelve
roaches were carrying 954 persons,
nearly all of whom were stud* nts of
Purdue Uni versity and their friends,
from l.aCeyeite to Indianapolis, for |
the annual football game between the |
Purdue team and the Indiana University
sound for the State championship,
which was to have been fought tl Is
afternoon, in the {list coach hack of
the engine were the Purdue football
team, substitute players and managers.
Throe players, three assistant
coach. trainer and seven substitute
players of the University team wore
Kiiii'u. arm I'viiy nn>- 01 111c uuifi |
persons in the ear were either fatally
or seriously Injured.
Winston's Tobacco Market.
Winston Snlein. Special.?The Winston
manufacturers shipped 2,198,097
pounds of tobacco during this month.
This is an increase of 04.510 pounds
over the same month last year, the
shipment for October. 1902, being 2,124.5S7
pounds. The slump rales at
the Winston office this month wore
as follows: Tobacco. J121.SS5.82;
spirits. $5. 782.70; cigars, $06.75. The
leaf sales this month amounted to l.174,800
pounds. It brought J08.2N5..17.
an average of $5.80 per hundred. While
the average Is nrueh less than last
year, it is more than the warehousemen
had anticipated. It is claimed oy
tobacconists generally that the quality
of the off. rings Ir. not an good as
last year.
SU'k- Trouble In St. Louts
Indianapolis. Ind.. Special.?It is reportcd
here on information received
from the national headquarters of the
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners,
that between 4.000 and r?,000 inen affiliated
with the Structural Building
Traders' Alliance and employed at the
St. I>ouis Exposition grounds, will
strike, in pursuance of un order issued
by the officers of the aliance.
News In Brief.
Alfred Eckstein. David Weisenberg
and Thomas Bechtel were arrested in
Allentownt Pa.. in connect ion with
the murd< r of Mabel Bechtel.
Ex-Congressman John E. Russc 11, of
Massachusetts, if, dead.
Fire destroyed the G'rard Avenue
Thealr in Philadelphia.
Pour persons w??re kiiled in a railroad
wreck near Charlotte, N*. C.
I) >v.ie declares that he controls o<>.O'io
votes in Chicago.
A Washington dispatch stated that
the national campaign in lttOd will b
! conduete 1 by President Roosevelt's
friends on very conseryvative linos.
* 1
VJ ?
NO.
IN AID OF LEVEES
A letter From President Roosevelt is
Head
TilE CONVENTION AT NEW ORLEANS
One of the Host Important (intherings
l;ver Held in the Valley of the
Mississippi.
Now Orleans. Spooial.?Resolved to
appeal to tin* Federal government for
adequate aid to levee both hanks of
the Mississippi river and to ninintjyu
such lev? es at maximum grade, t' <
by making possible the reclamation
and proteelion of the alluvial lands
and improving navigation, the largest
and most influential levee convention
held in the valley convened ht re Tuesday.
when President ('has. Scott enllori
tlu? Inter state Mississippi River inv
provement anil Levee Association to
order.
The oei asion was otherwise a notaide
one. l?y the direct announcement
l>y ihe i':< ident of tlie t'niteil Stales
of iii svnipailiy with the movement
whli^j th convent sou proposes to inaugurate.
- delegates r< presented
ei; lit or t< a States of the Mississippi
and Ohio valleys and im luded (?overnors.
Senators, Mentis rs of (ton
gress, hii;h railroad oftieials and
repres< ntr.tivos of eonunereial ex*
chanri? and 1< vep hoards.
In calling the convention to order
"'resident Seott defended the levee
system and urged the constitutionality.
the < \pc lien? e and the eotnnter
rial and military necessity of government
< hnrge of the river. Mayor
Cap devllio ami Governor lit ar<1 made
add re:-; es of wrlroinr. ('has. Scott,
ww made permanent chairman of the
convention, and .John \V. ltryunt, of
Louisiana, ami W. A Kvernian. of Mississippi,
seen tarles. and a eonimitt.ee
on resolutions composed of two delegates
from null State representing
the ten at large were provided for.
Hefore the conviiition took ? recess.
Chairman I'arker. of the committee
on arrangements. read a letter
from I'resiu. at Roosevelt which
aroused ntiicli < nthiisiasm. The
President wrote:
"My dear Mr. Parker: Permit me.
through yon. t<> express ni> very great
interest in the work of the Interstate
1 vee convention. Kxaetly as I have
taken :i keen interest in irrigation fi
tlie arid regions, so 1 feel tliat the
movement for thoroughly protecting
tile Mi issippi low lands by levees is
one of importance to the whole country.
no less than to the people immefll
i *11 r? 1 V" in?tii?t?r >?.? ? . 1
wish all sikcoss t<> your convention
and shall follow Its codings with
close attention.
"Sincerely yours.
(Sig.i TliKOiiOHE ROOSEVELT
\Vh? n the letter had been read. Mur
ray F. Smith, of Vioksbtirg, offered
the following resolution which was
unanimously adopted:
"Resolved: That the thanks of the
people of the Mississippi valley are
hereby tender* d to 1'resident Roosevelt,
through this convention, for his
manly and patriotic letter, endorsing
the improvement of the channel of
the Mississippi river and the protection
of the vast area of alluvial and
fertile territory alone,' its hanks from
devastation by floods; thereby eon
serving and facitttatingg the vast and
growing inter-State commerce already
transacted through the medium of
great railroad systems b< hind the ie*
vees."
"It Is requested that those resolutions
ho wirvd to the President."
The convention took a rocegs until
Thursday.
At the opening of the night session
Judge N. CI. Rlanchard. of Louisiana,
spoke, urging government control of
the levees.
Secretary i f Agriculture Janus Wilson,
following Judge Itlanchnrd. was
welcomed with great cordiality, lie
said the question of government control
of tile levees was a new one to
him. It int. tested him deeply nn.l the
people of the lover valley had his
deepest sympathy in pushing it.
The Secretary spoke for the new
policy the government had adopted, a
m.itter of irrigation in the West. He
urged the imperative necessity of
forest preservation and of dam construction
for the dual purposes of
adding agriculture and reducing the.
volume of water poured through the
grt at river.
Congressman J. E. Ransdcll. followed
Secretary Wilson.
A Recommendation.
Washington, Special.-?The annual
report of Surgeon C.cneral ftixey to the
Secretary of the Navy recommends the
t"construction of the hospital building
h? P< iisacola, Fla. The remodelling and
i brgement of the hospital at Norfolk
urged. Admiral ltlxey rerommen Is
the construction of two hospital ships
to cost $1,030,000 each, saying 1h.it, alike
gh the first to use them, thin
aintry has fallen behind other m
ion i*i fiontlng hosrJtal equiomc it
e the Spanish war. Referring to
c;,: hmirs of Infectious diseases, during
ike year, it is recommended thru provisions
he made whereby recruits may
h?- kept for a period of three weeks before
he'ng permitted to Join the nav.d
force.
%