The Elbert County tribune., 1899-08-31

and the 'Ftl''t '''
ons that there Is absolutely no foundn-
lion for any claim against the federal
,,oyern,uept ON account OF the Union
Pacific railroad. From time to time
for months past requests have been re-
,ojved from citizens in the West Tor
INCARNATION concerning an alleged
claim. II appears that some schemfrs
have been attempting to interest," inc
peoplc In that section III an aiiegeu
suit 10 recover about so4.Ooo.Wp, tue
amount of first-morigage bonds OF thc
Union Pacific. which they represent
were deposited with the government
and never returned.
Lieutenant ID. ii. Jarvis. commander
of the revenue cutter Bear. gives AN
account Of the rescue of gold seekers
who rushed into the Kotzebue gold
country, Alaska. in the summer or
1888. on arrival there he found ter
ribIe condition Of affairs. Men hnd died
of starvation. scurvy and by drowning,
and he obtained Il list of forty-cirht
deaths. Over 1000 of the gold seekers
had wintered there. The Bear, after
relieving us much of the distress as
possible and leaving stores. lime juice.
etc. for the survivors. took elghty-two
of the survivors to st. Michael. where
they were turned over TO the military
authorities Lieutenant Jarvis left be
tween 225 and $50 survivors at kotze
bue sound. He will proceed TO Cape
Barrow and upon his return touch at
Kotzebue sound and pick up any who
desire to return with him. Lieutenant
Jarvis says: ''rhc rush of people to
Kotzebue sound was deplorable af-
fair. Nlisled by false Information and
advertisements. 200 people. many TO-
toll al Ia. at-tnI Irr EpnIifinnS
aud climate. rushed to the country dur
ing the open season of 1898. During
| the winter no gold whatever was found
and in the sprihg they sought every
means of escaping from the region.
Many drowned in the swift currents of
the rivers. in the fall of 1S9S Others
lost their lives during the winter from
the cold. and worst of all. in the spring
scurvy broke out in nearly all the
camps"
The official report of the mineral pro-
| duction of the United States for the
calendar year 1898 was made public
| Wednesday by the geological survey.
| 1t shows that since 1880 the total value
! of the mineral production of the United
| States has increased from 1860 9,319.OO0
| TO S697, $50 0O2 in 1898, nearly 80 per
| cent The normal Increase dpduced
| from this record OF nineteen years Is at
! the rate of S1s.0OO.OO0 annually. but
1 during the five years since 1893 the
rate of increase has been nearly S2J.-
100000 annually. While the normal
| rate of increase may lie somewhere
between these two figures. the totals
are marked by great Irregularities.
| From 1894 to 1S9J the Increase was
nearly S1OO,0OO.0OO and in the follow
4 Ia. . th.. a
| over St.OO0,OOO. while from 1892 TO
| 1904 there was decrease. owing to
| the business depression. Of over S121.-
| 100000. From 1896 TO 1897 the increase
| WAS about SS.O00.OOO. about II per
cent. while 1897 to tS9S. the increase
was SG6.91O.534 The 1898 total pro
| duciion was the largest In history cx-
cecding that Of 1902. which held the
! record prior 10 fS9S. by nearly S5O0oo.-
: 900. This was due 10 II general increase
, all along the line Of mineral PRODUCES
| all Of the more important OF these
showing large increases and almost ev-
cry one showing some gain. Tile value
: Of all metallic products in 1898 was
S3i4.096.130. ms compared with S302.-
4 l9S.J02 in 1897. n gain of S41.S97. .62S.
| All of the metals, except nickel. made
large gains: copper. lead. zinc. alumni
mum and nntimony reaching their max
hi While the amoiit II i ro Sgii pra
dnccd in 1898 WIS greater than In any
other year. the value Of this product
was considerably less than in 1890 or
| 1892. though It increased 1.43I. 7OI
' over 1897. this being more than ono.
= half Of the Increase in tho total metal
product from 1907 TO 1898
The correspondent of the Chicago
| Record writes: There are two law
! yers in The cabinet. Secretary of War
Root aud Attorney General Griggs.
and, although their official association
! has been of short duration. they have
| already disagreed. As stated last
| night. Secretary Root took with him on
his visit TO the President Il plan for II
civil government for Porto Rico. He
is of the opinion that the President has
authority To extend our laws TO the
island, and is especially earnest In the
desire 10 do something to relieve the
people, who are suffering from dis
! eliminating tariff. Members of the
insular commission and prominent
Porto Ricans have informed the Pres
ident that the customs duties collect
ed in Porto Rico Mt present are Sc
rious burden to the people. who are
suffering from the lack of necessarics
/ VI ~" -NthiiN ever bIlt W llHS VIZ
| ited the island agrees that the duties
should be lowered. The recent devas-
tation 10y hurricane called forth an
| order. with the approval of the Presi-
dent. whereby the duties upon certain
| goods were suspended and they given
| free admission. There has been no
| question of the constltutionality of III s
charitable act. and Secretary Root
takes tho view that an order from the
| President extending our custom laws
over the island until Congress can act
would he unQuestionably legal. He
wants TO relieve the suffering people in
the first place. give them markets for
their tobacco. coffee and other prod
ucts and drill them in self government.
He would have free trade between the
island and the United States and Il civ
II government in every municipalitv
| The President was pleased with his
| recommendations. hut before taking
action upon them consulted Attorney
General Griggs. The latter did not
] agree with some of Secretary Root :
views on the law points involved and
| questioned the Presidents authority 10
| give Porto Rico n civil government
| He advised the President to refrain
from the contemplated action and
| leave the matter 10 Congress. The
] President. between his advisers. hest
| tates TO act upon the conflicting opin-
ions. and Secretary Roots plan re-
mains under consideration. 1T is prob
able that lie will not accept all of the
suggestions. especially AS 1t is under
stood that Attorney General Griggs he
lieves that Congress would resent any
thing the President might do which
could he construed as an encroach-
ment upon the privileges of the legis-
iative branch of the government. The
representations which have been made