Fair play., 1898-04-02
PERSONAL AND GENERAL.

The latest argument in favor of the
Nicaraguan canal Is the fact that II
will take the Oregon % days TO put
Il girdle around the most Of the New
World and Join the Atlantic tieet. y
Nicaragua canal would bring her to
Key West in less than 20.
Mn. WILLIAM PISkEEr"N. of the Pin
kertons National Detective agency. de
nounces as grossly malicious and
tending To create an unjustitia bic prcju-
dice" the statements that employees of
the agency are ferrcting ont the secret
dcfcnses of our government and fur
nishing the information to the Spanish.
AN explosion occurred. on the I'D. at
the works of the United States smoke
less Powder Co. near san Eafae., Cal.
t y. jerks one Of the head employees,
and laborer named .Icnson we're
killed.
THE statement Of The condition OF the
treasury. issued ON the IA. showed:
Available cash balance, S,:'::5.l1G.9?:!:
gold reserve. si1i 1850.
SENATOR HA;.f. Of Maine. is reported
as saving on the I'D: ''Thc codntrF is
on the verge Of war. / fear nothing
can prevent hostilitir>.
Ir was reported in Key West, Fla.
on the 22d. that the officers of the
Maine in Havana had been ordered
home.
The General Transatlantic Go. : mail
steamer Vile dc Rome was wrecked
off Port Mahon. BaIraric islands. in the
Mediterranean. on the :2i.
THE supreme court o. Montana has
handed down Il decision affirming the
sentence of John p Bloor. convicted of
secreting and thus defeating the pas
sage of what was known aa the county
salary reduction pill. while he was Sec
retary of the state senate.
TIE activity at the Charlestown
tNass.D navy yard continues. Orders
were issued. on the 23'l. for the employ
ment OF 4. men in the engineering de
partInent. on the gunboat Machlas. in
making necessary repairs.
SECRETARY LoNG has determined TO
bring into service the eight old single
turretcd monitors used during the war.
and since lying at League Island navy
yard, Philadelphia.
On the 23d Capt. Sigsbee was ordered
to hold himself in readiness for sea
duty The other officers of the Maine
who had not already left Havana were
ordered home.
On the 23d the bureau of ordnance
awarded contracts for supplyin" about
l.6OO cast iron projectiles for seacoast
Notifications. AS rapidly as com
pleted they will be shipped to the
various places at which they are need
cd. Two Virginia companies were
given the contracts.
CoMMANDANT FoRsYTHE. at Key West.
has received orders from Washington
to refuse to give out any information
regarding the movements of the fleet.
The order is very emphatic and does
not mince words regarding reporters.
The selection of the battleship Iowa
for the commanderin-chief's flagship
is regarded as significant. in view Of Ad-
miral Sicard's probable retirement.
The president, it was said, would
take two days for the consideration of
the report of the Maine court of in
quiry, and send it to congress prompt
" at noon on the 2sth with short
message, at the same time having
copy of it cabled to Minister Woodford
to present to the Spanish government.
The incessant rains of late have
caused disastrous floods throughout
Ohio, Indiana. Pennsylvania. Illinois.
West Virginia and Kentucky, accom-
panied by loss of life through accidents
caused by washouts and weakened
bridges. Railroad traffic suffered Sc
verely.
The cold wave which recently swept
IN from the west did much damage to
fruit trees and early vegetation in all
the states which it has traversed. The
injury was increased by the fact that
the preceding warm had caused the
trees to blossom freely.
IT was announced in Madrid, on the
cath, that the Bank of Spain would
lend the Spanish government 200, ,O0O,-
OV1 pc,etI>, tSi3.6JDDjIi guaranteed by
tas acw treasury bonds