The Portland daily press., 1888-05-16


bers, making a total of e26; 1924 State
branches and bands, 20 missionaries en-
ployed and missions eSta0nshed as follows
Chinese, /; freed people, 1S; Germans, s.
Indians, A; Mormons, 2; Scandinavians, IL
work on frontier, 1. The State organiza-
condition, especially among the freed people
in the South.
DeLesseps's Great Ditch.
Mr.. Nathan Appleton, of Massachusetts,,
who has spent some time in the United
States of Columbia, and who is thoroughly
familiar with the operations Of the projec-
tors of the Panama canal, has returned to
Washington. He said yesterday, in respect
to the Nicaragua canal, that the Panama
folks were so far along with their work that
capitalists should hesitate about supporting
any similar enterprise.
When asked what the prospects were for
completing the Panama canal, he said; THE
work is now well under way all along the
-ffne, VI exception OF the 10 miles sft
the Pacific end, which, however, is easy
dredging, and can be done in year and
half. The Slavan dredges have dug out 10
miles from the Atlantic to B0hia, S0ldado,
where they are now arranging to build the
first lock. Besides dredging the canal, they
have also finished many miles Of the deyia-
tions, or cuts, which are to keep the waters
of the Chagres river out Of the canal. In
few months these dredges will have dug the
canal to its required depth Excayatlng IS
going on in all parts of the canal. Dynamite
is extensively used to loosen the rock. There
are several hundred miles of track to remove
the debris, and deposit it way of in the .vir-
gin forest. AT the Celebra section alone
there are 70 miles of railroad with about 40
excavators and locomotives; six OF the locks
are now under way. There are to be eight
Of them mall. possibly ten. M. DeLesseps
proposes to have them renewed two by two,
beginning at the middle ones. from the earn
ings of the canal as soon as 1t is open.
These locks will reduce the work upon the
canal by more than 40,0O00c0 cubic yards.
''Mr. Eiffel, of Paris, who, with Bunan-
Varilla, invented the locks, has agreed to
put them in for S20,0C0.c0O. His contract
was only signed last January, and she has
reason why the canal, with locks, should not
be opened in 1891.
Mr.. FuIIer's Confirmation.
The nomination of M. W. Fuller to be
chief justice is likely to be unacted upon un-
til after the eight justices have gone on their
circuits. There will be quite lively discus
sion in the Senate when Mr.. Fuller's name
comes up for confirmation.
In Memory of Gen. Knox.
The Senate has passed Senator Frye's bill
to build monument to the memory of Gen.
Knox at Thomaston. but it is not supposed
that the bill can be reached for action in the
House at this session as it is low down on
the calendar, and the tariff swamps every
thing. The only way it could be reached is
by unanimous consent, and TINS probably
cannot be obtained, although Mr.. Dingley
will make the trial; There is, considerable
opposition to erecting national monuments
outside of Washington.
The Pension List.
The following Maine pensions were grant
ed today:
ORIGINAL, INVALID.
Abram B. Browne, Brewer.
REISSUE AND INCREASE
Roscoe G. Young, Gouldsboro
Silas C. Bryant, Bath
REISSUE.
Timothy X. Knight, Searsmont.
ORIGINAL, WIDOWS, ETC.
Clara NJ, widow of Mason Joseph, Bangor.
Notes.
Senator Allison is getting somewhat an
xious about the appropriation bills. He
says that the Senate is practically without
business, and, lot having the power under
the constitution to originate appropriation
bills, they cannot go ahead. He says II all
the bills were passed by the House and
pldceu III butlT HduuS bOudy, bHcy COulu uOs
be disposed of in less than month
A number of Democratic Senators and
Representatives are making their plans to
attend the St Louis convention. There will
be large attendance, according to the can
vass already made.
Hon. John d. Long has announced his in
tention of retiring from Congress at the
close of his term, and resuming the practice
of law. He says that this action is necessa-
ry In order that he may accumulate a COM
potency.