The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-20
We Retail Flour Cheaper Than the Mills Sell at Wholesale
DISTRESSING.
To Spanish Officials Are Investiga-
tons Being Made at Havana

New York. Jan. pa dispatch to
theTribune from Havana says:
The finance commission which is ex-
aiming into the financial condition of
the city discovered what seems to be an
increase in the bonded Indebtedness.
The debt has been thought to consist of
first mortgage municipal bonds to the
amount of 81, 900, 600 and municipal mort
gage bonds to the amount of SO, DOC, 900.
The figures today make the apparent
first mortgage Indebtedness SO 900. 600.
An inquiry will be pursued further to
determine whether this is actual indebt-
edness. Witnesses will be summoned
under oath, and much light is expected
to be thrown on municipal transactions
under the Spanish authorities. The Wig
or with which the inquiry is being
pressed distresses the former officials.
The new council has decided that it
will not enforce collections for munich
pal taxes prior to January 1, and that
it will not employ the Spanish bank to
collect taxes which are levied under the
old regime. The municipality allowed
the bank to collect city taxes and with
hold per cent in the same way as the
government taxes.
A determined effort is being made to
have the Spanish banks privilege of
collecting for the United States revoked.
The feeling is more intense today. The
foreign merchants have announced that
they will not pay taxes, though they
will pay for the present period to who
ever the American military authorities
direct The Cubans are encouraged in
their opposition by the report that Col
lector Bliss and the military governor
have protested to Washington against
the bank being designated as tax col
lector. Shares of the bank were lower
on the stock exchange today, due to
agitation.
PLUMBERS SWOOP DOWN.
The sanitary inspection of Havana
begins tomorrow. The city is divided
into one hundred districts and Cuban
doctors are assigned to each district.
nRnnla "a To oil hot
houses and after that corps of plumb
ers will visit each district. 1t will be
the first time in the history of Havana
that plumbers have been acquainted
with the inhabitants.
The plan of gathering up Migrants
and unfortunates from the streets at
night has filled all institutions provided
for them and additional quarters will
be found.
Navy officers are impressing on As
sistant Secretary Allen the Importance
of the United States obtaining the float
ing dock which lies in the harbor, now
the property of Spain. Captain PeraI
is in command until the Madrid authori-
ties decide what shall be done. Bids
which were submitted under the condi-
lions advertised by the Spanish gov
and another advertisement may be or
dered. The dock is new and cost ST.
900, 900. The highest bid was $500, 900.
Some of the firms bidding are reported
to do so with the expectation of selling
the dock to the United States.
Captain Durfree of the engineer corps
has gone to Sancti Spiritus with the
reported purpose Of arranging for a
posed by many army officers. 1t has
been learned that the price paid the
contractors for excavations at Guam
tanamo for Col Hecker's six mile mill
that the total excavation will be about
one hundred thousand cubic yards.