Gilpin observer., 1899-03-09
rELEoRAPHlc nREvlrlEs.

NernuIly is Salu TO nave renewed
the negotiations for the purchase of
the Caroline islands.
A college, school and other property,
valued at 100000, burned ut West
Point, Mississippi, Monday.
Queen Victoria is going to France
and the French papers are not giving
her very cordial welcome.
In the apportionment of second lieu
tenants under the army reorganization
bill Colorado is allowed one.
Secretary Alger is reported to have
offered to resign If the President will
allow him to name his successor.
Bishop Warren is reported as being
seriously ill at Buenos Ayres. lie has
been operated on for appendicitis.
Sensational charges of bribery are be-
ing made at Harrisburg. in connection
with the consideration of jury bill.
Colonel w. ]. Bryan states that he
will be in the next Democratic national
convention and will make n fight for BIZ
metallism.
John Gilbert, a farmer living near
Emporia, Kansas. killed his wife and
four children the other day without any
apparent reason.
William Rockefeller. whose property
at Mount Pleasant, New York. was
assessed at S901 ,469 has secured from
the courts Il reduction to $131,510
Josephine Kipling, the G-year-old
daughter of Rudyard Kipling, and the
Oldest of his three children. died Mon
day of pneumonia. Her father is gain
ing.
Preparations are quietly being made
by the War Department to ship to Cuba
the $3,000,00O for the payment of the
cuban troops. The distribution of the
money will be under the direction of
General Brooke.
The Gillian war office and the mill
t2ry authorities have definitely decided
to reduce the army by 5000 men. The
government, it is rumored, contem-
plates sale of several cruisers to the
United States and Ecuador.
Steel billets advanced Tuesday and
sold as high as S2350 per ton. 1t is an
nounced that practically the entire prod
uct of the National Steel Company will
be acid Bessemer steel, n single eXcep-
tion being that of the Bull Steel Com
pany, which produces basic open
hearth steel.
Inspector General Roloff estimates
the total number of the Cuban army at
10000, of whom 25,000 are aificers or
officials holding commissions and en-
titled to officers pay. The cubans them
selves express astonishment at the pro-
portion, although admitting that they
would not be surprised If it was one
to three.
Colonel Tasker ii. Bliss, the secre
tary of the Treasury Department at
Havana, has issued Il statement that
the United States consular agents are
unable to obtain recognition or protec-
ton in foreign ports for the blue and
white flag recently designed for Cuban
shipping and he warns Cuban ship
masters not to proceed to foreign ports
flying this flag.
Governor Tanner of Illinois has
signed the Alling street railway bill. 1t
repeals the Allen law. passed two years
ago, which provided for tifty-year
franchise extensions, and re-enacts the
old horse and dummy act, with an
amendment making it applicable to
electric or cable roads. Under the All
ing bill no franchise or extension for
more than twenty years can be granted.
The transport steamer Valencia has
sailed for Manila via Honolulu. She
carried about $50 recruits for the in
fantry, artillery and hospital corps.
and was laden with supplies of all
kinds for the troops in Hawaii and the
Philippines. The most important item
OF her cargo was 81 100000 in coin,
under the charge of Major Eugene
Coffin, paymastcr United States army.
This vast sum will be used for the
payment of soldiers. and all but II
fraction of it will be disbursed at
Manila.
The purpose of the Administration to
send large reinforcements to General
Otis at Manila presents n serious prob
lem of transportation to the officers of
the Quartermaster's Department.
About 1900 troops are under orders to
prepare for transportation to Manila, by
way of San Francisco. and the Pacific
ocean. The only troop ships available
for the service are the Arizona, Sean
din, Newport, Morgan City and Zea-
landia. i'he last mentioned Is the only
one at San Francisco, all the others be-
ing in the Orient.
An assay of black sand found in the
Kotalinqua river. Alaska, made by Dr..
Willis II. Everette of the Smithsonian
Institution. is said to show that one
ton of 1t contains S776 worth of
platinum besides iron oxide, gold worth
S1O2.S4, two pounds of tin. two pounds
of copper and one troy ounce of iridos-
mine. The great value Is said to be
In its yield Of platinum, which Is ex-
tcnsively used In electrical construc-
ton and dentistry. Platinum is found
principally in the Ural mountains of
RUSSIA. from which 1t Is exported to
this and other countries.
A special to the st. Louis Republic
from san Antonio, Texas, says A
dispatch from san Diego says that
prairie fires are raging In Nuess, Starr
and Duval counties. 1t has not rained
in this section for more than six
months. and the dry. dead grass burns