Oregon union. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1897-1899, 1897-12-31
NEWS OF THE WEEK
From all Parts of the New
and Old World.
BRIEF AND INTERESTING ITEMS
Comprehensive Review of the Import
ant Happenings of the Cur

NO appointments Will De made by
the president during the recess of con-
gress except in case of emergency. De
spite the announcement of this fact,
the number of visitors at the White
House are unusually large.
The long continued cold and heavy
snow of the past month are beginning
TO have a serious effect upon sheep in
Wyoming, and it is feared that, unless
there is break in the weather soon,
the losses will be heavy. Sheepmen
report that a number have alrea 1y
perished.
The controller of the currency has
received Information of the failure OF
the First National bank, of Penbiua,
N. D., The bank has capital of $780,
900, and, according to its last state
ment, had deposits aggregating $95, /.
900. Bank Examiner Anheiser has
been placed in charge.
Mr.. Coffin, the acting controller of
! the currency has called attention to the
fact that the retirement of national bank
notes during the first 20 days of Decem
ber reached the sum of $4,000, 900.
This is said to be the first time during
the last 10 years that the voluntary re-
tirement has reached this amount in
any one month.
After week of conference in Bos-
ton, Justices Putnam and King, the
commissioners for the United States
and Canada. respectively. in the arbi-
tration of the Behring sea claims, have
completed their work for the present,
and it is understood will soon begin
the preparation of their reports to their
respective governments.
The first meeting of the National
Building Trades Council was held at
st. Louis, and was marked by scath-
ing denunciation of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor for having passed a
resolution at Nashville opposing the
formation of the national council. The
Federation of Labor opposed the new
organization as tending to create fur
ther division in the ranks of labor.
Fireman Martin J. Oakley was killed
at fire in a five story tenement on
East Folty-fourth street, New York
city. Oakley was suffocated by smoke
and escaping gas. Assistant Fireman
Thomas Head. James Davis and Peter
Connolly, of the same company, were
rendered unconscious by inhaling
smoke and gas, and were with diff
Guilty revived. They are in hospitals,
and their condition is serious.
While skating on the ice near Gard
ner. Miss, three young people sudden
ly broke through, and before assistance
could reach them were drowned.
At Tonawanda, N. Y, while party
were skating, the ice gave way and
precipitated@ four young people into the
water. Three of them were drowned.
China approves of the Russian fleet
wintering at Port Arthur, being per
suaded that this action is taken in the
interest of China, and necessitated by
the German occupation of Kiao Chou.
A rate war is on between the various
river transportation lines running to
The Dalles. A reduction of fare from
The Dalles to Portland is the result.
This cut in rates has been looked for
by the public since the opposition line
was put on, some two months ago.
f. M. Gideon, the clerk of the gen.
eral land office, who was referred to
by Thomas Reddington in the testi-
mony before the senate Pacific railroad
committee, Saturday, as having
changed the land d-office records SO as to
throw 5000, 900 acres of government
land to the Southern Pacific, has made
a clear denial of the charge.
A dispatch from Chrstiania, Nor
way, to the London Chronicle, says the
political situation, since the failure of
the united committee on foreign affairs,
has become critical, and it is feared |
that Sweden will seek an occasion for |
armed Intervention in Norway The
dispatch adds that the Swedish press
hopes for assistance from Emperor
William.
The committee appointed at the
house civil service conference 10 days
ago to draft notifications of the civil |
service law have met and gone over
the various bills pending before the
house. The committee expects to have
measure framed by the time congress
reconvenes. Its mem bers are opposed |
to the present law as including too
many offices within its scope.
A freight train of 81 loaded cars,
travelling down the mountain to AL
toona, Pa, became unmanageable in
consequence of the slippery condition
of the tracks, making the 12 miles
from Galltiz into Altoona in as many
minutes and crashing into a freight |
train directly iu front of the passenger
station. About so cars were COM
pletely broken up, and the Holidays
burg passenger train, which was stand
ing on the track near the passenger |
shed, was thrown over on it's side, |
Three of the train crew were fatally in
jured.
Secretary Alger has cabled to Will |
liam Akellman, chief government rein
deer herder, who is now in Norway, to |
inform the war department Immediate
ly how soon 600 reindeer can be shipped |
to this country. These are wanted for
use as draft animals in getting supplies |
to the miners in the Klondike region |
They must be transferred at New York |
to railroads, and in that manner car
ried across the continent, and again by
sea from the Pacific coast up to Dyea,
or some other point that may be select
ed as base of operations.
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