Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-21

Williams Americas greatest tenor, and
Madame Clary, the continents foremost
contralto, Joined in a concert under the
management of Fred G. Spencer at the
Opera House.
There is hutter among the soldiers
of the infantry school and among their
sweethearts, too. At Fredericton or
ders were received from ottawa direct
ing that 80 non-commissioned officers
and men of the ornament corps here, UNI
der command of Capt. Thacker and
Lieut. Kaye, be dispatched next week
for the Yukon. The men are to be I'M
married and of not less than two years
in the service.
GENERAL DOMINION NOTES.
D. w. Higgins, who has just re-
signed the speakership of the British
Columbia legislature, is one of the
pioneers of that province. He was born
at Halifax Nov 80, 1884.
The sale of Sunday newspapers has
been prohibited in the Dominion.
John Yeo, NJ. P, is not expected to
appear again in the commons, but will
take when he comes back the senate
seat formerly occupied by the late Hon.
Mr. Perry.
The following letter has been received
from one of Mackenzie & Manns staff,
dated Wrangel, Feb. %:
The steamer Joan, with the first of
the Mackenzie & Mann party-S0 men
and S6 horses-reached Wrangel on the
18th. At DiXon's entrance the Joan mar.
rowly escaped destruction in fog and
furious storm. She ran ashore, and but
for the magnificent seamanship of Capt.
Locke, another wreck with all hands
would have been chronicled. All the
other steamers will be delayed three
days, as they dared not face the terrible
storm. Wrangel is crowded beyond my
power to describe Everything is wide
open-roulette, black jack faro, three
card monte, any old fake game, are
running full blast. Lumber is ex-
tremely scarce. 1t has all been bought
up at fabulous price, but there is not
enough. People are sleeping on->Veran-
dahs, in the Catholic mission house and
on boards in the open. Wherever there
is a sheltered spot they are packed to-
gether like sardines in can Pork and
beans and a SlX-by-three board cost a
dollar and half a day. Many sleep
in the snow, and cerebro spinal menin-
gets is carrying off numbers. Miners
call it Come and get us" Heaven only
knows where the next rush of people are
going to put up. No one is going over
the trail. 1t took four men and ten dogs
Is days to make Is miles. The road Is
clear for Is miles, but the cold wind can
not be faced by man or beast. The snow
is Is feet deep ON the ice. By this means
1000 miners are blocked at Strikine river.
People coming in from Skaguay and
Dyea declare that death is king and
chaos reigns."
NEWFOUNDLAND.
The governor, Sir Herbert Murray,
acting under instructions from the Co.
lonial office, has signed the Reid rail-
way contract, thus breaking the dead
lock.
The government claims that the con-
tract will effect a saving of $780, 900 a
year, in addition to promoting the de-
velopment of the interior, with con-
sequent increase of revenue.
The contract which the Newfound-
land government has entered into with
Mr.. Reid, is one to build railroad
across the island and to work the entire
railway system of $50 miles for 50 years,
receiving a subsidy of $500 acres of land
per mile.
Mr. Reid pays a million dollars now,
which becomes seven million dollars at
the end Of the period, when the colony
takes the money, and the contractors
representatives will take the railway.
If he should make default in carry
ing out the contract during the period,
both the money and the railway are
forfeited to the colony.
Mr.. Reid purchases St. Johns dock
for $3.50, 900 and the governments tele-
graph lines for $125,000
He also undertakes to build seven
mail steamers to ply in the great bays,
receiving a subsidy of 100000 for 80
years.
Mr.. Reid secures certain coal areas,
which he agrees to work, as also pulp
and lumber mills, Sld copper and other
minerals, being protected by dollar
duty to be imposed on imported coal.
Furthermore, he contracts to build
an electric railway in st. Johns and to
pave the main streets in the city for
$4,000.
The contract, which represents $15,-
100000 to the colony, is expected to
prove an immense stimulus to its in
dustries, sal,
1