The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-04-16
PERSONAL AND GENERAL.

SooN after midnight, on the 9th, the
awful and improbable rumor reached
Washington that the lighthouse tender
Fern, sent to Havana to assist in
bringing away American citizens, had
shared the fate of the cruiser Maine.
The rumor could not be verified.
THERE was a conspicuous absence OF
distinguished visitors to confer with
the president on the sth. Apparently
it was realized fully that the govern,
ment of the United States had fixed its
course, and that efforts to influence the
executive were now out of the ques.
ton.
GEN. WooDFoRD, the American minis
ter at Madrid, in a note to Minister
Gullon, on the 18th, spoke ominously of
the certainty of war if the Spanish
cabinet did not recede. A semi-ofticial
note issued later by the cabinet showed
that the Spanish government was ready
to meet the issue by engaging in hos
t~ilities.
THE assertion is made that the battle
ship Texas, which arrived at Hampton
roads, on the 18th, will be ordered to
stand between the Spanish cruisers at
Porto Rico and the course taken by the
San Francisco and the New Orleans,
now on their way, only partially
manned, to this country.
THE steamer Brookline arrived at
Port Antonio, Jamaica, on the sth,
from the city of Santiago de Cuba, hav-
ing on board the United States consul,
Pulaski F. Hyatt, the staff of the con-
sulate and 25 Americans, children in
cluded. All was quiet at Santiago
when the Brookline left hat port.
The Madrid Liberal, of the sth, said:
THE government has decided to send
a note to the pope, thanking him for
his good offices and begging him to per-
severe. But" the Liberal adds, the
government does not pledge itself to
accept the papal decision"
The body of Mrs. Louise L. Brewer,
wife of Justice David j. Brewer, of the
United States supreme court, who died
in Washington, on the Sd, was buried
in the family lot in Mount Muncie GEM
etery, Leavenworth, Kas., on the Sth.
MARGARET MATHER, the actress,
played her last death scene in the
fourth act of ~Cymbeline at Charleston.
w. Va, on the 9TH She collapsed and
was carried off the stage in an uncon-
scious condition, and never regained
consciousness. She died of commissions,
caused by acute Bright's disease.
EDo. --no.r .1.o
piled by E. W. Parker, statistician of
the United States geological survey, it
IS shown that the total output of coal
in the United States in 1897 amounted
approximately to 1873, $50, 900 short tons,
an aggregate value of Sl9s, loo, 1000, a
fraction less than 81 per tom.
SENATOR RAwLEY's bill in the Ohio
legislature appropriating 81, 100000 to
place Ohio On a war footing passed the
house and is now a law.
FAILURES throughout the country, as
reported by Dun & Co., during the
week ended April s, were 232, as COM
pared with 252 for the corresponding
week last year. For Canada the fail
ures were 81, against Sc last year.
TIE York cotton mill strikers at
Saco, Me-, voted unanimously, on the
Sth, to return to work. They went
out in January, when the general cut
down in wages in New England cotton
mills went into effect.
THE following incident marked the
departure from Havana of the vessels
bringing home our consuls and citi-
zens On the Cabanas shore a British
steamer IA unloading at her wharf.
A the Fern passed the Union jack
was dipped while the English crew
gave a hearty cheer. 1t is needless to
say that the compliment was returned
with al possible gusto.