The Mena star., 1899-01-25
NICARAGUA CANAL.
Senate Passes the Bill to Make Ita
 Government Affair.
A saliiioa shares of stock to Re Issued-The Cost Not to Exceed sI15,00O.O0o- Alger and Miles Rumor-Esagau
 to Plead Guilty.


 senate, continues the name of the Maritime Canal company It provides for the issuance of 1000, 900 shares of stock of $lO0 each. The canal com pany is required to call in all the stock issued except that held by the Mica ragua and Costa Rican govern ments- The company is also re- quired to redeem and cancel bonds and scrip heretofore issued by the company and to satisfy all cash liabilities. To enable the company to comply with these require ments treas nry warrants to the amount of $5, 000,- 900 are authorized, with proviso to the effect that only so much of the amount shall be paid as shall be required to pay the actual cash value of the rights, privileges, franchises and property at the time of the pay ment, the value to be determined by commissioners to be appointed by the president. This being done, the sec retary of the treasury is authorized to subscribe for 925, 900 shares of the company's stock for the government of the United States. The cost of the canal is limited to S.15, ,o00,0 900.
 VIII Aiger ana Niles ketire2
 Washington, Jan. 23.-The rumor has been revived that Secretary of War Alger is soon to retire from the cabinet Ex-Gov. Merriam, of Minne- sota, is mentioned as his successor. It is said the president is wearied of the squabbles and scandals in the war de- partment and would feel much relieved by the retirement of Secretary Alger.
 Gen. Miles will also be relieved from the command of the army in the near future. according to reports The req son assigned is that Miles does not work tremendously with the admins tration. With these men out of the way, Gen. Eagan probably relegated into obscurity by means of the court martial, the administration will wipe out all the army scandals giving the president chance to return to the inn portant work of getting the new island possessions on business basis
 Gen. Eagan to Plead Guilty.
 Washington, Jan. 23.-Gen. Eagan will plead guilty. His trial will not last more than two days, if, indeed, it lasts that long. In pleading guilty to the charges Gen. Eagan will plead in extenuation that he was so much ex- asperated and mentally distressed by the statements of Gen. Miles as to be scarcely responsible for ths language he used in reply. He will refer to the newspaper criticisms resulting from the ''embalmed beef" charges made by Gen. Miles, as the primary cause of his undue excitement He will prac- fically throw himself on the mercy of the court, which, he hopes, may result in recommendation for executive clemency, thus giving the president an opportunity to mitigate sentence of dismissal to suspension.
 The Ration for Cuban Destitutes
 Washington, Jan. 21. By direction ci the secretary of war, the general orders of the department have been amended so as to prescribe that the ration for issue to Cuban destitutes of eight ounces bacon, or eight ounces timed meat, 12 ounces flour, or 16 ounces cornmeal, as we'll as the fol- lowing for every 100 rations: Six pounds coffee (green), eight pounds sugar, two quarts vinegar, four
 
 ounces soap, six pounds rice.
 Nearly Five Thousand Died of Disease.
 Washington, Jan. 23. The casual ties of the Spanish war, as officially reported to the house committee on in- valid pensions, were: Officers killed, 26: enlisted men killed. 257; total killed, 2S3s Officers wounded. 11S; enlisted men wounded 1467; total wounded, l. 5s0. Deaths from disease, May 1 to December Si, officers, III; men, 4,s54; total, 4,965
 Legal Adviser for Wood.
 Washington, Jan. 24.-Henry M. Hoyt. assistant United States attor- ney general, has been ordered by the department of justice to go to Santi. ago and advise with Gen. Leonard Wood on legal questions which may arise in the administration of that de partment, and to represent the legal department of the United States there.
 Final Conference with the President.
 Washington, Jan. 24.-President Schurman, of Cornell university, who has been appointed by President Nc Kinley on the commission to study the commercial and social problems of ths Philippines, has had final con nferenct with the president and is making ar engagements to get away from Sar Francisco within aweek or ten days.
 The sheriff Wanted Grlett.
 Chihuahua, Mex, Jan. 23.-Sherif Reed. of Wichita, Kan, and r. W Petty, a Kansas banker, reached Chi huahua last night for the purpose O