Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-12-18
INFERIOR ARMoR PLATE.
Tho Amount Supplied Much Larger Than
War Supposed.

The Amount Supplied Much Larger Than
WaS Supposed.
WASHINGTON. Dec. l4.-The special
board appointed by Secretary Herbert
to investigate the charges that plate of
inferior quality had been furnished for
the battleships now building at New.
port News, will resume its inquiry at
that place Monday. AS far as it
has gone the inquiry indicates that the
amount Of defective plate supplied is
much larger than was at first supposed,
and the consequences may be very
serious in tho way Of delaying the work
of constructing the battleships,i in which
the department is much interested.
Caused Suspension Of Work.
AS it is, the inquiry has caused sus-
pension of work on the. hulls Of the
battleships, and 300 workmen have been
laid off, disagreeable outlook for the
Christmastide. The hardship is said to
be Great in the case of the construction
company, which has accepted the plate
upon the report of the government steel
inspection board, and is now facing the
probability of being obliged to remove
good deal Of the plate which has
already been placed and riveted, besides
being under the necessity Of suspend
ing actual construction. 1t is likely
the outcome of the inquiry will be a
complete change in the present inspec.
ton system, and if congress can be in
,duced to make the necessary provision,
a corps Of civilian expert inspectors will
replace the naval officers who are now
detailed for inspection duty.
MINOR ITEMS OF INTEREST.
Count Trauttmansdorf.W einsberg,
president of the Austrian house of
lords, is dead.
State Railroad Commissioner Rick.
ards of New York fell dead in a barber
shop at Albany.
Joseph L. Bonesteele, who killed
Frank Cole at Butte, was sentenced to
ii years in the penitentiary.
John Hickey, Superintendent Of mo-
tive power OF the Northern Pacific, has
resigned on account of poor health.
The managers Of the Joint Traffic
association have made the interchange
able mileage ticket proposition a re.
atty.
1t is believed that Minnesota will be
represented in the cabinet, if at all,
either in the war or interior depart.
ment.
Efforts are now being made to secure
parcels post convention between this
country, Chile and the Argentine Re.
public.
Edward, Hale of Ireland won the
6.day bicycle race in New York, he
and II other riders breaking the world s
record.
Chairman Lane of the national bi.
metallist committee has issued an ad.
dress advising that the silver agitation
be temporarily suspended.
Samuel p. Putnam, president of the
Free Thoughtcongress, and Miss Mary
L. Collins, a young agnostic lecturer,
were killed by escaping gas in Boston.
o. l.. Partridge, ex-secretary of the
.Alpena Mich Loan and Building as.
ISOLATION, has been found guilty on the
charge Of embezzlement Of $20, 100 from
that institution.
Statistics compiled by the crop de.
partment of Iowa show loss of over sc
per cent Of all the hogs in Iowa by
cholera, the per cent being from to II
in the different counties. The loss in
money is given at $l5, 00O,0OO
CONGRESSIONAL FORECAST
Immigration Bill on in the Senate, APP
preparations in the House.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.-The Lodge
i'm n, ;cratinn hill as tho ttunfinish cd