The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, 1866-04-20
9ailp Monataiueer.
DATES TO APRIL II.

emit Court OF Lafayette county, Indiana, de-
cided that the amendment to the United
States Constitution abolishing slavery makes
all negroes citizens, and therefore the 18th
Section of the Indiana constitution, and the
black laws are void. The question came be.
fore him on an appeal of colored citizen to
enforce a contract, claiming the benefits of
the civil rights act. Judge Test says; with
out reference to the civil rights act, shall
sustain the demurrer to the defendants
answer, being fully satisfied that the plaintiff
is citizen of the United States, independ-
ent of the act of Congress on that subject.
Chicago, April l6.-The steamship Ore
gonian, built by Messrs. Laurence Foulke
of New York, tor L"dd Bradford, and in
tended to run between San Francisco and |
Portland was launched on Friday, the 18th |
instant. She is not expected to be ready for |
her trial trip for thi &c months.
= The Commissioner of the General Land
Office has received returns from the Oregon
City land office, showing that 5,263 acres
were entered for actual settlement in Febru-
ary, while preliminary evidences of title
were submitted, covering $4,000 acres of do
nation lands for actual settlement.
Chtago, April lb.-There is not even q
guess as to when the House will proceed to
consider the resolution admitting Tennessee,
nor is il known that the committee have ma
tured any measure with regard to the late re-
bellious States, in addition to those already
reported. The committee continue to exam
inc witnesses, and enough testimony has been
collected to make several ponderous volumes.
1t is not all printed yet, though ordered to be.
The joint resolution protesting against the
pardoning criminals by foreign powers on
condition that they emigrate to the United
States, passed both houses, and will be COM
mitted TO ell foreign powers, although par
ticularly called out by the action of the Swiss
government.
Mr.. Moulton, of Illinois, from the committee
on territories, reported bill appropriating
SlO,O 900 for the survey of the boundary be-
tween Idaho and Oregon, which was referred
TO the committee OF the whole.
San Francisco, April 1.-THE great exposion
that occurred in the heart of he city yester-
day afternoon and resulted in such terrible
destruction of life and property, continues to
be the topic OF conversation among our citi-
zens, and has cast gloom over the public
mind such as has been produced by few
events since the foundation of the city.
Workmen have been employed in removing
the ruins in the vicinity Of the explosion,
and searching for the bodies of the missing.
The work is now nearly completed and all
but one or two of those supposed to have
been the victims of the accident have been
satisfactorily accounted for. The question
as to what caused the explosion and what il
was that exploded still remains without de.
finite answer. Enough, however, has been
ascertained to fix its connection beyond o
doubt with one of the two boxes that were
taken Yesterday from the Pacific Mail Steam
ship dock to W. F. & Co.'s Office, as men
toned in last evenings dispatches.
The facts relative to these boxes are al
follows: In unloading the freight from th,
steamer Sacramento, that arrived here OF
Friday last two boxes were found in dam
aged condition. They were consigned tt
Wells, Fargo & Co., and one of them wa
addressed to J. NJ. Moore, Idaho City, anC
the other to W. H. Mills, Los Angeles. The,
were shipped from New York, under th,
general term merchandise" Beng dam
aged, Wells. Fargo Co. refused to accep
them from the Pacific Steamship Compan,
until the extent Of the damage was ascer
tanned, so that it might be known to whom
For this purpose the boxes were placed il
the back yard to be examined. Mr.. Havens
the freight agent of the steamship compan,
was sent for to hold survey of the damage,
merchandise, and he, together with Branl
Webster, one of the employees of Wells
Fargo & Co., and one or two other persons
proceeded to the back yard to make an ex
animation of the boxes. The last that wa
~seen of the party was by man in the EN-
ploy Of Mr.. Bell, who says that there wer
three or four men standing around the bo
having in their handstools, such as hatehets
hammers, chisels, etc. The cover OF one
the boxes he thinks had, been forced eff be
fore,he left the yard. Soon after leavin
he heard the explosion, and the reasonabl
inference is that it came from the box tina
was undergoing examination. This infer