The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-22


surrounding towns tell of the ruin wrought.
At Marietta. o.. number of buildings
were destroyed. and crops were laid TO the
ground. Great destruction is reported in
the Belmont. Eureka and Sistersvrlie oil
fields. AS far as known no lives were lost.
Disastrous Fire at Saginaw.
SAGINAW. Mich, May 20.-Saginaw was
visited. this afternoon, by the worst fire IL
ever experienced. IL was fret discovered
in the mill plant of Sample IL Camp, on
what is known as the middle ground. south
OF the Bristol-street bridge. just before 3
o'clock. and. owing to the strong southeast
gale prevailing. IL spread rapidly, setting
ire TO and destroying 100000 fees
OF lumber on the mill docks
owned by Brown IL Ryan. valued at
$500. The Bristol-street bridge next
caught and portion of It was destroyed.
Thence the flames leaped to the east side,
Just below Bristol street and north of the
City hall, where were located large num-
Der OF buildings. including hosehouse No.
Q. j. L. Winkler's icehouses. all the resi-
dences on Illden street and on both sides
of Washington avenue down to Holden
street were quickly licked up
Then the sparks were carried across the
old bayou into the premises of the George
K. Cross Lumber Company. the planning
mill, lumber In the yard. and dozen tene-
ment houses melting like snow. Next
pany's extensive plant, and Pas.
solts old soap factory. all of
which were wiped out. Here the fire
struck Jefferson avenue. and IN an hour
some OF the finest residences in the city
were In ashes. the sweep being clean north
TO Emerson street, whore the fire ntinued
eastward. south of and along Emerson
street out toward the city limits. 1t cut
wide swath on Owen, Howard, Sheridan
ana Warren avenues and other streets
east.
The loss OF the Abingdon Curtis company
will approximate 10000. that of the Cross
i har
mains planning mill factory and l., 000.000
| feet of lumber $3.50 900. The area covered
by the fire was a mile and hall in length
and from two to four blocks in width.
| Over forty residences that cost from $1,000
| to $50 600 each were destroyed. It Is esti-
mated that over 250 families are homeless
tonight. Many of them saved nothing but
the clothing on their backs.
John Clarke, emplOye OF McClel-
lands tile factory, was found burned to q
crisp in front of his residence on Owen
street. One OF the tiremen named McNally
was severely injured. and many people
were burned and bruised. Close estimates
place the total loss at S1,500000, with an
insurance OF less than half that amount
Spies Among Pensioners.
WASHINGTON. May 2O.-A largo number
| OF special examiners from the Pension Bu-
reau were detailed this week TO visit differ
| ent parts of the United States. While go
| ing ostensibly under the usual rules of the
| department. 90 look into special cases that
| nave been br0ugh 10 the attention OF the
| Pension Office their mission is really
| to study and ferret out alleged IN
worthy pensioners that they NAV
| be dropped from the rolls. This inquiry is
| to be- conducted quietly. and Is in the hands
of the most trusted agents of the bureau.
| In nearly every case the examiners carry
letters of introduction to one or two local
Democratic politicians at the points they
are to visit. and through these they
/ Information
ing to the cases of fraudulent pensions.
The immediate purpose of this general in
! curry is to find how many soldiers are
/ drawing pensions under the act of 1880 who
are really able to earn their living by man.
| ual labor. and as soon as the proofs can be
sustained to drop them from the rolls or
| reduce their allowance to comply with
wnns the Zen ,S deems a,..h
ties. Il is believed that the full
significance of this tour of special ex-
aminers will be manifest within q month
| by the suspension of large number of
| names now on the pension rolls. A special
examiner left this week for several of the
Western States. including Ohio, Indiana
| and Illinois. Commissioner Lochren. act
| ing under the instructions of President
| vestigation of the pension rolls and the
| movement this week is the first step in
that direction. Pension reform is one of
the hobbies of President Cleveland.
l. Woman Delegate Seated.
LITTLE Rock. Ark. May 20-The Cum
berand Presby terIans to-day admitted o
woman delegate to seat in the General
| Assembly. The special committee on cleo
tions su omitted the following report
Your committee. appointed to pass upon the
eligibility OF Mrs. ;. Z. Claggett to seat In this
| assembly as n representative of Nolfn Presby-
terry. would report that in view OF the expression
| of the last General Assembly Mrs. Claggett Is
| entitled to a seat delegate. We therefore
| recommend that her name be enrolled as q com
| missioner from NOlin Presbytery Your CON-
| mittee do not desire to be understood passing
| upon the legal or constitutional aspect of this
question, but tin view OF the previous deliver
| ance of this body
A long discussion followed. Finally
| Mrs. Claggett was declared entitled to q
seat. The lady elder was requested to
stand, that the memb ers of the assembly
might know her. She modestly granted
the request This does not settle the bat
tie. for the committee on Overtures. rails
ing the general question of woman's elgi-
Ollity to eldership. is expected TO report
Monday. One OF the ablest debates in Cum
bertrand Presbv terrain history Is expected
to follow the reading of the report.
| Another Ocean Race.
NEW YORK. May 20.-Three STEAMSHIP ps