The Somerset reporter., 1898-05-19
STATE AND GENERAL.

Two girls, the children of Benjamin
Edwards of Monson, were drowned in
the quarry at that place, last week.
They had been playing near the quarry
only short time when their mother,
searching for them, found their bodies
in the water.
Fire destroyed more than a million
bushels of grain in Chicago Thursday.
The flames spread throughout por-
ton of the vast lumber district around
22nd and Morgan streets, entailing a
loss estimated at nearly million dol
lars, which. however, is fully covered
by insurance.
Sun Publishing Company has been or
ganized at Lewiston for the purpose
of doing printing and publishing
business in the city of Lewiston, with
$40, 900 capital stock of which nothing
is paid in. The officers are: President
W. B. Shelton of Lewiston, Me. Certif-
icate approved, April 20, 1900.
The Spanish cruisers Maria Teresa,
Vizcaya, Almirante Oquendo aud Cristo-
bal Colon, and the torpedo boat de-
stoyers Pluton and Terror, arrived off
the harbor at Curacao. Saturday morn
ing, and were there, Sunday. Only the
Maria Teresa and the Vizcaya were adj
mitted to port. They bought coal, pro-
visions and medicines.
There is said to be much more diff
Guilty in getting an abundance of pure
water for the troops stationed at Florida
posts, than in getting food for their mess
tables. Wells are practically unknown
at Key West and the inhabitants have to
rely largely on cisterns for securing a
supply of drinking water.
The total losses in this country by fire
for the month of April, were SIS, 900,
against SIC, 1888 900 in the same month a
year ago, and SIP ,010,6 900 two years ago.
For the first quarter of the year the fire
loss aggregates S37, $685. against SAP,
O62, 400 and SAT 620,3 respectively in
the same period of 1897 and 1896.
The inland summer hotels, Poland
Springs, Kineo and others, are receiving
hundreds of applications for accomoda-
tons, and it is evident that big season
for Maine is coming. Landlord Kicker,
of the Poland Springs hotel, says that,
while commonly that house experiences
rush during July and August, this
spring he is receiving numerous appli.
cations from people who wish TO come
there in June and in September, while
in general there are signs of such rush
as has not before been seen in the State.
Secretary of the Navy Long, Friday
morning, received official advices from
Martinique, Windward islands, that the
Spanish squadron had been sighted to
the westward of that island. Upon re-
ceipt of this information, Secretary
I n,lo do. Of
Hampton Roads, to put to sea at once
with the flying squadron. While its
destination is not known, it is believed
that the squadron has been sent in pur-
suit of the Spanish squadron. 1t is sup
posed Sampson also received orders to
advance on this fleet.
Mrs. Robley d. Evans, the wife of
Fighting Bob" probably has "a larger
personal interest in the fortunes of the
navy than any other individual in the
United States. Her husband commands
the battlesAip Iowa; her brother, cap
tain G. H. Taylor, commands the
Indiana; her son, Frank T. Evans, is a
midshipman upon the Massachusetts,,
and her soninlaw, c. e. March, is an
ensign on the New York; her two
daughters, Mrs. March and Miss Vir-
ginia Evans, and her niece, Miss Hattie
Taylor, have volunteered for trained
nurses and are now taking Instructions
at the hospital at Hampton.
The program for the annual State con-
vention of the Maine Universalists at
Dover, commencing Monday evening,
June 6, and continuing through Thurs.
day, June 10, is not yet completed, but
| ha usi hn "a n
by Rev. Henry X. Rose of Auburn, and
Hon. E. O. Bean of Readfield, will be
the president of the convention. During
I the year the Universaists of Maine,
have dedicated five new churches and
two other churches after extensive i'm
provements thereon. The denomination
in the state has much more than held
its own during the past few years, and is
making gains in many quarters.
Bangor Commercial: In answer to "A
Commercial correspondent we would
reply that the rank of rear admiral is at
present the highest grade in our navy.
! The rank of vce-ad miral was created by
Congress in 1864 and bestowed upon
David G. Ferragut; two years later the
rank of admiral was given to Farragut,
and on the same day David d. Porter
was made vice-admiral. When Farragut
died in 1870 Vice-Admiral, Porter, be-
came admiral, and when Admiral Porter
died in 1891 the rank of admiral and
vice-admiral became extinct, leaving
rear-admiral the highest grade in our
navy. This is the rank which Congress
has just bestowed upon George Dewey.