Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-23
LIVE WASHINGTON WAITS.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec 22.-The Sec.
! retary of State has received dispatch from
| the United States Consul at Laredo, saying
that Captain Hardee. Third Cavalry. and
his troop, together with a United States
Marshal, were surrounded near Ft. Mackin,
tosh. Texas, by large body of Mexican in
| surgents under Cara. No details are given,
and it is not stated what followed the action
of the insurgents. 1t is therefore not known
whether the Americans are at liberty or
still prisoners. The matter was referred to
the War Department. A telegram of in
| quiry was sent TO General Stanley, COM
manding the department. of Texas, and a
reply was received saying that he ordered
troops to the scene of the reported trouble
| and would report later in the day. Army
| officials do not attach much significance to
the consul's telegram. They think he was
deceived by a rumor of trouble that had
| little foundation in fact.
The conversion of trade dollar bullion
into standard silver dollars was completed
| to-day. The coinage of standard silver dol
| lars is therefore at an end unless change
| shall be made in the policy OF the Treasury
| Department through Congressional enact
ment OF otherwise. Mr.. Leach, Director of
| the Mint, said to-day that while he was not
| icy OF the department, there is scarcely any
| doubt that the coinage of standard silver
| dollars will be continued at the San Fran
cisco and Carson City mints in amounts suf-
| fcient to meet the necessities of the service.
He estimated this at 100000 a month for
each mint.
ACTING SECRETARY CHANDLER has
reversed the action of the Commissioner OF
the General Land Office in rejecting list No.
I of iy,1a 80 AI4,,
$500 acres made by the State of South
Dakota upon the ground that the selections
are not made within the limits of the land
district in which the losses occur The
Acting Secretary holds that the express pur-
pose of the act Of February 2s 1891 was to
remove the restriction requiring LANDS Sc
lected to be within the same district. and he
therefore directs that the list be submitted
for approval.
SENATOR CHANDLER to-day introduced
bill to amend the act to regulate the car
riage of passengers at sea, so as toprovide
that in future it shall be unlawful for any
steamship company to bring passengers
from any foreign country unless suitable
accommodations for the comfort of the pas
sengers have been provided.
FIRST ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GEN
ERAL WHITFIELD has received Information
master at Baird, Callahan county, Texas, has
kept Confederate flag floating over his
office. While hardly crediting the report,
General Whitfield has written the post
master for the facts in the case, and an ex-
PLANTATION of the facts as reported.
ACTING SECRETARY SPAULDING to-day
directed the institution of condemnation
proceedings at Minneapolis in the case of
the two paintings imported by Colonel
Gross, of Minneapolis, and seized as illegal
importations. The question. therefore, will
be determined by the court, instead of by
the Treasury Department
AFTER the Cabinet meeting to-day Sec
retary Blaine said there were no new devel-
opments in the Chilean affair.
THE contract for the construction of the
public building at Lansing, Mich has been
awarded to N. NJ. Bassett, of Austin, ILL.,, at
$685.
A VERY important discovery has been re-
ported to the Bureau of American Repub-
lies. A mine of coal of very fair quality for
steaming purposes has been found by acci.
dent in the Straits of Magellan. Signor
Fossetti, the captain of an Italian steamer
was compelled to anchor in Bhagna Bay, to
make some repairs, and while there he dis
covered coal very near the surface. Reaching
Valparaiso he sent a corps of experts to the
scene of the discovery in steam launch,
who found that the coal was not only abund-
ant, but of excellent quality. The impor-
tance OF the discovery to the commerce of
the world can only bes appreciated when it
is considered that all steamers passing
through the Straits of Magellan are required
to coal there, and that the supply has, here
tofore, been brought from Cardiff, Wales.
Mrs. j. ELLEN FOSTER. of Iowa, the
celebi ated temperance advocate, attended
the Plumb obsequies at the Senate Chamber
yesterday. She laid aside her fur coat, and,
when the ceremonies were concluded,
walked down to the gallery railing to obtain
a closer view of the distinguished assembly
upon the floor Of the Senate, When she re-
turned she discovered that her pocketbook,
containing over 500 and diamond cross
valued at 81, COO, had been pilfered from her
coat. No clew has been discovered to the
perpetrator of the villainy, and no such out
rage ever before occurred in the Senate upon
such an occasion. No persons we're admitted
TO the galleries except upon cards from
Senators, and it was presumed, of course,
that only ladies and gentlemen Of standing
were in the vicinity.