Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-08-15
amaged in consequence of the revelations

fTeSluenI UFdnI n;iS issued an Executive or
der, announcing his approval of the new rules
prepared by the Civil-Service Board last June,
and stating that they will put in operation as
| soon as the necessary arrangements can be
/ made.
| A full report of the Special Commission on
the abuses of the United States branch of the
Vienna Exposition has been received at Wash
| ington. The conclusions are the reverse of
complimentary to General Van Buren, and his
confidential assistant, General Mayer, and
| some of their subordinates.
| No official communication had been received
at Washington from Great Britain relative to
the Manitoba difficulty, up to the Sth, and
therefore, contrary to report, the Government
had taken nc ACTION whatever in the premises.
| A recent telegram from Washington says
| that, in view of the condition of affairs in
Spain, vessels comprising the European
| squadron under command of Rear Admiral
Case have been ordered to Spanish ports.
| The Ohio Constitutional Convention ad-
| journed ON the Sth to reassemble in Cincinnati
on the I'd of December.
The Illinois Board of Railroad and Ware
house Commissioners have been in daily con-
ference with the leading railroad men, ship
pers and producers of the State on the freight
rates question, with view of coming to fair
and just basis of transportation charges.
| A largely attended farmers picnic was held
at Riggs Grove, Scott County, ILL.,, on the
| 7th, at which, among Others, the following
notices were displayed: eff any political
party stands between us and our rights, let it
die;" Farmers to the 'front.'" politicians,
take back seats;" ''corn must go up, monop-
olies must go down." Corporations must
obey the laws as well as individuals"
| The wife of Cassius Claxon, of Henry Coun-
| ty, KY, was awakened few nights ago by a
man named Payne attempting to get in at the
| window. Mrs. Claxon seized a pistol and
shot Payne through the head, inflicting fatal
wound. Mrs. Claxon has been tried and hon.
orably acquitted.
At recent meeting of the Brooklyn (Wis.)
Grange, which represents portions of Dane,
Rock and Green counties, Gov. Washburn was
declared to be their choice for next Governor
of Wisconsin.
The Conservative nominations for State
officers in Virginia are: For Governor, James
L. Kemper; Lieutenant Governor, Robert E.
Withers; Attorney General, R. T. Daniels.
The steamer Wawasset, of Washington
City, was burned on the Potomac River, below
Acquia Creek, on the evening of the Sth, and
of the large number of passengers on board
the boat, over forty were drowned. The fol-
lowing account of the disaster is given by
Doc Kenney, bar-keeper of the steamer:
Just before reaching Chatterton's Landing,
on the Virginia side of the Potomac, about
five miles below Acquia Creek, and after the
whistle of the boat had been blowna as signal
of her approach to that landing, the steamer
at the time being about third of q mile
from the shore, fire was discovered in the
hold and the hose was attached Immediately,
but before the men could reach it the confla-
grafton became general, as the fire had been
burning for some time. The fire had been
smoldering it is supposed, for some hours,
and upon the opening of the matches it burst
forth with great fury, driving the men from
the hold, and completely battling all attempts
to subdue it.
In an instant great confusion prevailed on
the vessel, the passengers becoming panic
stricken and frantic with fear, and very few
having presence of mind sufficient to take care
of themselves.
The steamer was, without seconds delay,
headed for the shore on the Virginia side, and
in few minutes ran aground about two hun
dred yards from the Virginia side.
At this time the flames had spread with fear
jumped overheard. Several of them jumped
into the water before the steamer struck bot
tom. She was provided with but two small
boats, and in the frenzy of the moment one of
these boats was thrown overheard and lost by
passengers who, uncontrolled, were endeavor-
ing to launch her.
Captain Wood was the last man to leave the
steamer, and the pilot, Mr. Boswell, was sur
rounded by flames before he left the pilot-boX
which was not until after he had run the steam
er aground The flames spread with such rapid
ity that the tiller ropes were on fire before the
vessel struck the ground.
Over forty passengers were drowned, of
whom only six bodies had been recovered at
the time Kenney left the scene of the wreck.
About one-half the passengers ON the Wa
wasset were women and children, many of
whom were en- route to country places along
the Potomac to spend short time with their
friends. There was quite number of colored
people among the passengers.
Private kilograms from Havana, received in
New York on the Sth, state that General Por-
tello, at the head of 5000 men, had routed
and captured Cienfuegos without a shot being
fired, and proclaimed Don Carlos King of
Spain.
The Agricultural Department reports that
the probable wheat yield for 1878 will be $780,
900, 900 bushels. The largest absolute falling
off in corn is in Illinois, where there is re-
duction of fifteen per cent The Depart
ment reports that the flax culture is greatly
on the increase in Iowa.
A fire at Portland, Maine, on the 9th burned
up three steamers, one grain elevator, with
contents, several freight sheds, a large guam
tity of wharf property, etc. Five lives were
reported lost. Value of property destroyed
estimated at S6OO,OOO
A call signed by large number of prom
inent citizens in all parts of Kansas has been
issued for a State Convention of soldiers of
the late war, to be held at Topeka, September
%, the object being to memorialize Congress
for the equalization of soldiers bounties.
The Mayor of Mount Vernon, Ind, for
mally announced on the Sth that the cholera
had entirely disappeared from the town, and
that there had not been a case for forty-eight
hours. One fatal case of cholera occurred at
Terre Haute, Ind, on the Sth. A Jackson
vile Qll.) dispatch of the 9th says that at Exc
ter, in a population of about one hundred,
there had been some twenty cases and twelve
deaths during the previous week. During the
same week there were eighteen cholera deaths
in st. Louis.
Hardy Jones, over eighty years old, was re-
Gently hanged at Newbern, N. c., for the mur
der of Robert Miller, constable, February l,
1872, while Miller, with two others, was carry
ing Jones to prison on a charge of larceny.
Ten new cases of cholera were reported in
Chattanooga, Tenn, on the Sth, three of which
were fatal.
1t is said there were one hundred and fifty
passengers on board the Wawasset at the time
of its burning A Washington dispatch of