Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-26
AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE.
Between Harrison, Blaine and Com
missioner Phelps.
BUT NOTHING WAS GIVEN OUT,
Tho Samoan Agreement, However,
Said to BE Satisfactory to All
Parties Concerned-Otbcr
Washington News.
WASHINGTON BUREAU, TIE OMAHA BEE, !
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET, ,
WAsuINGToN, ID. c., June 25

WASHINGTON, ID. u, juno 20. J
There was very important conference at
the white house to-day. The conferees were
President Harrison, Secretary Blaine and
Commissioner Phelps The latter bore with
him little yellow leather bag, of which he
was very careful. He has had that little re.
ceptacle constantly at his side during the
past ten days, and has not permitted any one
to touch or to assist him in caring for it. Its
contents was copy of the agreement signed
by the commissioners of the United States,
Germany and England at the conference re-
Gently closed in Berlin. He came directly
to Washington after landing in New York
yesterday, and brought the treaty to the
president with as little delay as possible.
The conference lasted some time, and the
provis ions of the treaty were afterwards
considered in cabinet meeting, but no one
who was present at the conference is dis
posed to give any information upon the
subject. Commissioner Phelps was never
noted for his desire to enlighten the general
public through the medium of the press, and
his European trip has not changed him in
the least in this respect. He was amable
and suavc as ever, but positively declined to
give the least information or to express the
fantest opinion upon the subject of the busi-
ness which took him and his conferees to
Europe. The only thing he would say in
reference to the matter was that in his opin-
ion the treaty is satisfactory to all parties
He was impressed with the courtesy of the
conference in conducting the negotiations in
English, ard said it was the first time the
French Language had been ignored in diplo-
matte conference. Very general satisfac-
tion is expressed on all sides with the result
of the Samoan conference, and no doubt is
entertained anywhere that the treaty will be
ratified promptly after it's submission to the
senate.
FINGER TAKERS.
The hotels of Washington are full of
people who talk with their fingers. The
commencement exercises of the deaf and
dumb college at Kendall Green occurs this
week. They are of more than usual interest
this year The most conspicuous feature of
the exercises will be the dedication of u
monument in honor of Dr. Gaulledet, the
founder of the college in Washington and
the pioneer in the education of the speech
less in this country. His work is known all
over the world, and nearly all the institu-
tions for the education of the afflicted in this
manner are conducted upon the plan orig
inally laid down ny him. The Washington
college is the only institution of higher edu-
cation in the United States, being similar to
the ordinary frst-class college. and it is the
only place in the United States where deaf
and dumb person can get classical or sci
entifc education. DR.. Gaulledet, the pres
ent president, is q son of the founder
MARVELLOUS ENTERPRISE
The Pennsylvania railroad has for many
years been in the habit of giving an excur-
sion to the correspondents and local newspa-
per men of Washington, and last Friday
they were taken to Cresson Springs, at the
summit of the Alleghenies, near Altoona, and
to Johnstown, which is a few miles beyond
the Mountain house at Cresson, which stands
in one of the most beautiful spots IN the
whole world. 1t was given up entirely to
the correspondents and their families from
Friday until Monday, for IL was not open to
| the public until the following day. Every
creature comfort was provided for in most
lavish manner, and If the reporters had been
| princes they could not have been entertained
| IN more truly royal style. Although the
object of the trip was merely to give the
boys few days of rest and recreation in the
| mountains, the most interesting part of the
| trip was visit to the appalling ruins at
| Johnstown, which was made on Saturday
| under the guidance of Mr.. George w. Boyd,
| the assistant passenger agent of the Penn
SylVanla company, and other officers OF the
road The train was run so as TO give the
| best possible view of the scene of desolation,
| and although THE BEE has published column
after column of the most graphic and truth
| full description, no pen could frame COM
| plete picture of the disaster, and the human
mind can not possibly realize the extent of
| the devastation when described by another.
! The eye at once can comprehend the situa-
| ton there, for the imagination of a Jules
| Verne or Rider Haggard would find it inn
possible to invent anything approaching it,
! company IN repairing the damage is about
I as marvellous as the disaster itself,
for within forty eight hours after
the the, t5 dam f had broken ksG ooo a60 and the
| of property, the company had 10000 men at
| work repairing the damage. All the skilled
workmen and carpenters upon the Pennsvl-
| vania system were at once carried on special
| trains to the scene, and engineers and work
men from other lines were employed and
| sent forward as rapidly as possible. All the
| bridge timber in eastern Pennsylvania was
| purchased by telegraph and shipped at once
| to the nearest available point, and within
nine days after the food broke trains were
running regularly. There never was such
| rapid and extensive bridge building in the
| world. Bridges five and seven hundred feet
| long were constructed in a few days, gangs
| of working men being engaged constantly
| through the twenty-four hours. The mar
| veous energy and wonderful skill shown in
this restoration has no parallel in history.
| NOTABLE REUNION.
Invitations are now beng prepared for
| what promises to be a notable military re-
| union in Georgia on the 18th Of August. On
that date the Fourth Georgia cavalry, who
| performed excellent service for the lost
cause, VIII sound the rally and surround the
! surviving officers. 1t is the intention oi
| those having the matter in charge TO invite
| General Joe Johnston General Longstreet,
| Ex-Governor Brown, and others who were
| prominent in the confederate cause, as well
as Generals Rosecrans Sherman and some
| others of the union army. 1t is expected,
too, that Henry w. Grady and other promi'
nent orators will take part in the ceremony
| The principal newspapers of the north will
| be invited to send correspondents, and if pos
sible President Harrison will be induced
| 10 go.
| IOWA PosTMAsTERs APPOINTED.
Tho following Iowa postmasters were an.
pointed to-day: Hawthorn, Montgomery
county, Fayette B. Tolman; Mllburn, Dallas
| county, Fred c.. Anders; New Liberty, Scott
county, Sarah c. Schmidt Des Moines, Polk
county, c. II. Townsend; Ortonville, Dallas
county, S. j. Ihriet; Urbana, Benton county
Edgar Gee.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Captain Thomas G. Troxel, Seventeenth
| infantry, has been found by the army retir
ing board incapacltated for active service
and has been placed on the retired list or th'
| army.
DR.. S. B. Taylor has been appointed q
member of the pension board at Blair, Neb
Interstate Ministers Institute.
SIOUX FALLS, Oak, June 25.-[ Special Tel
egram to THE BEE, The interstate min
isters' institute opened to-day with many
ministers in attendance. The first lecture